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Back to Part 9 - Moonlight Closure

Title: FRIENDSHIP FACTOR
Series: S4 Behind The Scenes
Author: spikeme4now4200
Email: spikeme4now4200@yahoo.com.au
URL: http://au.geocities.com/spikeme4now4200/index.html
Copyright: May 13 2003

Spoilers: You'll be spoiled if you haven't seen Season 4.  The episodes Yoko Factor, Primeval, and Restless form the background of this fic.  Everything up to and including these episodes, is fair game for spoilerage.  You’ll also be spoiled if you don’t know about Tara’s little secret as revealed in the Season 5 episode “Family”.

Pairing: Willow/Tara

Category: Missing Scenes / Romance

Rating: NC-17 (US)

Rating Disclaimer: It’s not smut, but it does contain explicit details of sexual activity between two girls; hence the strong rating.

Disclaimer: This Story is mine.  However, I don't own the Buffyverse or any of the characters created by Joss Whedon et al . . . You all know who they are.  I don't wish to harm them; I simply want to play with them a little :-)

FEEDBACK: Yes Please!!!!  I would really appreciate feedback on this story.  It’s the culmination of my series, and I’ve worked really, really hard on it—so please, please, please, let me know what you think.  Constructive criticisms are very welcomed—outright flames will be ignored.  So please, please, please take a brief moment of your time to give me some feedback – It’s the only reward I get for all my hard work. >>lol<< What’s more, I'll reply to anyone who emails me. ^_^

Distribution: Everywhere and Anywhere, just let me know where.

Summary: A behind the scenes take on what happened between Willow and Tara during the Season 4 episodes Yoko Factor, Primeval, and Restless.

Author's Notes: This is in response to the challenge I posted on the [willowtarafanficstation] mailing list early October 2002.  I thought it would be cool to remember how the Willow/Tara relationship first started.  This is the final part in a series of 10 behind-the-scenes stories that deal with the start of the W/T relationship. The series starts with the episode “Hush” and ends with the episode "Restless".  Each story can be read as a standalone, and goes behind the scenes of one episode.  I'll try to have one up every week or two.

Note: Special thanks to Susan Carr for beta reading this . . . :-)

***

Tara woke up that morning, and instinctively turned towards Willow’s side of the bed.  She reached for her girlfriend, and frowned when her hand met only air.  “Mmm . . .?” she mumbled, wondering where her girlfriend was.  Blinking her eyes a couple of times—she opened them and sat up.  She smiled when she noticed her girlfriend sitting cross-legged on the floor, using a ball of string to play with the little kitty they’d smuggled into the dorm yesterday. 

They’d spent the whole day doting over her, playing with her, being amused by her . . . and yet they still hadn’t given her a name.  They were just so giddy with the current state of their relationship to worry about such trivial things as naming her.  Now that they’d both admitted their feelings for one another, the dynamics between them had changed immensely, and the kitty they’d just gotten was kind of a symbol for it all – a way of confirming what they meant to one another.

They had yet to discuss this though—the long term commitment thing.  Tara had every intention of bringing it up today however; to let Willow know exactly what this relationship meant to her.  The last few days had been a complete rollercoaster ride; what with Oz’s return and everything.  In fact, she was still a little in shock that Willow had decided to stay with her; that she loved her.  She’d never been in a loving relationship before, and a part of her knew she would never love anyone else like she loved Willow.  The redhead was now, and always shall be the only woman who held her heart, and she wanted to make damn sure Willow knew it.

“Hey Will,” Tara ventured, pulling the covers off her body.  “Having fun?”

Willow smiled and looked up at her girlfriend.  “She’s so adorable,” Willow put down the string and scooped the kitty up in her arms.  “I just couldn’t resist,” she explained, bringing the cat down to her lap as she stroked her coat.  “Miss Kitty was making these really cute meow sounds, and I . . .”

“Miss Kitty?”  Tara chuckled.

“Well, we haven’t given her a name yet, and the other day we were joking, and you said we could name her Trixie, or . . .”

Tara smiled at Willow.  “Miss Kitty Fantastico . . .?” she finished up.

“Yep,” Willow giggled.  “Miss Kitty Fantastico,” she looked back down at the kitten in her lap.  “You wanted some attention, didn’t you?” she cooed at the cat, once again scooping it up in her arms.  “Wanna play with your other mommy?”  Willow stood up and moved towards the bed.  “I think she wants to say good morning,” she smiled at Tara, handing her the cat as she sat down on the bed.  “Don’t you Miss Kitty?”

Tara laughed at Willow’s childlike tone as she accepted the cat.  “Hey Miss Kitty,” she greeted.  “So you’re the reason my girlfriend wasn’t in bed this morning?”  She stroked the cat gently, smiling as it began to purr in her lap.

“I think she likes that,” Willow noted, moving her hand to pat the kitty as well.  “She just loves attention . . .”

Tara looked up at Willow before responding.  “She’s not the only one,” she said in her most smoldering voice.

Willow felt her breath catch as her eyes met Tara’s; her girlfriend could be so sexy when she wanted to be.  “Oh . . .” she whispered huskily, deciding to play along.  “Someone else wants attention?” she asked coyly, her eyes locked with Tara’s.

“Could—”

Whatever Tara had been about to say would now be forever lost, as Willow ceased stroking Miss Kitty, and pressed her lips against her girlfriend’s.  She lifted her hands to Tara’s cheeks, as she thrust her tongue deep into the girl’s mouth.  There was no chaste good morning kiss happening here, this was an ‘I want my girlfriend, and I want her now’ kiss.

Tara instantly responded by letting go of the cat in her lap and moving her hands up against Willow’s back.  She moaned into the kiss as her tongue wrapped itself around Willow’s—meeting each thrust and each parry with one of her own.  This was more like it, she thought to herself.  This is how I wanted to wake up this morning—me, Willow . . . a little tongue action . . .

All of Tara’s thoughts ceased however, when she felt one of Willow’s hands move from her cheek, and come to rest on her naked thigh—just below the edge of her shorts.  “Mmm,” she moaned, pressing her hands harder against Willow’s back, pulling the girl closer to her.

Annoyed by the sudden lack of attention, Miss Kitty let out a few disgruntled mewling noises.  When her pleas went unnoticed however, Miss Kitty decided she was bored with waiting for her Mistresses to lave some more attention on her, and made her way across the bed, and leapt to the floor.  She scrambled towards the ball of string her short-haired Mistress had been teasing her with, and began to paw at it.  She didn’t like being bored, and if her Mistresses weren’t going to play with her, then she’d find a way to amuse herself.

Ignoring the antics of their new kitten, the two girls continued to kiss each other passionately.  Tara’s hands were moving roughly up and down Willow’s back, pushing the girl’s nightshirt further and further up her body, until they were eventually pressed up against bare flesh.  Willow’s shirt was posing a problem for Tara, so she decided to do something about it.  With one quick movement, she pulled her lips away from Willow’s, while her hands hastily lifted her nightshirt up and off her body.

Willow was now almost completely naked, but for her panties, and the look in Tara’s eyes told her exactly what effect this had on her girlfriend.  “You like?” she asked huskily, resting both hands on Tara’s thighs. 

Tara could only nod, as she leaned in to kiss her girlfriend.  “Wait,” Willow stopped her, before their lips could meet.  “Your turn.”  With that, she lifted her hands to the base of Tara’s tank top, and dragged the material off her girlfriend’s body. 

“I want you naked,” Willow continued, as she threw the shirt half way across the room.  She then gently pushed her girlfriend down onto the bed as she straddled her hips.  “These have to go too,” Willow rested her hands on the waistband of Tara’s shorts.  Within seconds, she was throwing Tara’s boxers to the floor as well.  “That’s better.”

Tara smiled up at her girlfriend, enjoying her assertive attitude.  However, she had plans of her own, and much as she wanted her girlfriend to take control . . . her own hunger was getting the better of her.  “C’mere,” she demanded softly, pressing a finger to her bottom lip.  “I want you here.”

Willow immediately leaned down to kiss her girlfriend’s lips, misinterpreting Tara’s request.  Nevertheless, Tara took what was offered – but only briefly.  “Will,” she whispered a moment later, pulling her lips away.  “I didn’t mean these lips . . . although, they’re nice too, but I . . . I had something, um . . . different in mind . . .”

Willow looked down at her girlfriend in confusion.  “Different . . .?”

Tara smiled sexily, locking her eyes with Willow’s.  “You’re other lips,” she explained.  “I want to, um . . . taste you . . .”

“Oh,” Willow grinned, understanding what her girlfriend wanted.  “You sure you want me like that Baby?” she asked.  Regardless of how turned on she was, Willow still wanted to make sure her girlfriend was comfortable . . . that she knew what she was doing.  She didn’t want to do anything to hurt her . . . even by accident.

In response, Tara moved her hands down to Willow’s ass, and gripped her firmly.  “I want,” she whispered, moving her fingertips towards the waistband of her panties.

Willow lifted herself up onto her knees, as Tara worked the panties down her thighs.  As soon as the material was completely off her body, Willow began making her way towards the head of the bed.  Her knees were now on either side of Tara’s face, and her girlfriend’s lips were merely inches away from her nether-lips.  Tara had never taken her this way before, and Willow was a little afraid she would smother the girl or something.

“Tara . . . Baby . . . are you sure you . . . ?  I don’t want to hurt . . .”

Tara knew what she wanted and trusted Willow enough to know she wouldn’t hurt her.  Lifting her head up, she answered the question by kissing her girlfriend in the most intimate way possible.  She thrust her tongue between Willow’s lips, tasting her essence, being careful to avoid her hidden pearl . . . for now anyway.  She simply wanted a small sample . . . a prelude of what was to come.

Willow could feel her legs trembling as Tara kissed her, and was forced to press her hands up against the wall for support.  She didn’t want to hurt her girlfriend by putting all her weight on her, but was afraid she would if Tara continued to kiss her so erotically. 

“Oh God Tara,” she moaned, “I . . . mmmm,” she closed her eyes as tingly sensations began to course through her body.

This was the response Tara was looking for, and gently broke the kiss as she returned her head back to the pillows on her bed.  She forced herself to tear her eyes away from Willow’s inner core, so as to meet her girlfriend’s gaze instead. 

“Do you trust me?” she asked softly.

“Of course,” Willow replied, her whole body trembling from the loss of Tara’s tongue.  Why had her girlfriend stopped?  Why was she asking her this? 

“Well, it goes both ways,” Tara explained.

“What do you mean?”  Willow’s mind was still a little foggy from Tara’s kiss.

“I trust you too . . . and I know you’d never hurt me . . .”

Willow slowly began to smile as she took in the meaning behind Tara’s words.  The girl knew what she was afraid of.  “I don’t wanna hurt you,” Willow began, “but I . . . when you . . . I mean, you always, um . . . make me lose control, and I . . . I might be too heavy, or . . .”

“I’m stronger than I look,” Tara returned.  ‘You won’t hurt me . . . I know you won’t.”

“But—”

“Come here,” Tara stopped her protest by pressing her hands against Willow’s ass.  “I want you down here.”

Looking at the determination in her girlfriend’s eyes, Willow could do nothing to resist her request.  If Tara trusted her . . . then she should trust Tara.  Besides, she had to admit, letting Tara take her in this way was definitely sexy.  How could she refuse?

With that thought, she allowed Tara to guide her downwards, until her girlfriend’s tongue was once again exploring her folds.  She closed her eyes at the sensation, and returned her hands to the wall above Tara’s head for support.  She was determined to put as little weight as possible on her girlfriend.

Tara took her time in kissing Willow, savoring her flavor, her texture.  She purposefully dragged out her exploration, giving Willow time to get used to the position she was in.  Tara knew Willow was afraid of hurting her, but she instinctively knew that would never happen.  More than anything, Tara’s urge to take Willow in this manner was her way of portraying the trust between them. 

Now that she knew Willow was in love with her, knew she wasn’t gonna leave her, Tara’s outlook on their relationship had changed greatly.  She no longer had to worry that Willow would reject her.  Up until a couple of days ago, there had been a constant fear that she was living on borrowed time.  Willow had loved Oz so deeply, and Tara knew she’d never be able to compete with that; knew she’d always come in second.  She was so glad to have been proven wrong. 

Willow loved her, had chosen to be with her not Oz, and that gave Tara a whole new feeling of confidence—one she’d never had before.  This in turn made her more comfortable around Willow, allowed her to give in to her basic urgings, and set her free to be herself . . . without reservations.  She trusted Willow completely, and their anniversary was the perfect day to prove it.

Tara was now gripping Willow’s ass even tighter, as she continued to tease her with her tongue.  She knew her girlfriend wanted some satisfaction, could tell how much she needed it by the soft moans escaping from her lips.  Figuring she’d teased her enough, Tara finally relented and moved her tongue towards Willow’s clit.  When she found the engorged nub, she pressed her tongue hard against it, moving it in firm but slow circles.

Willow moaned at this, as her legs began to give way.  She was reluctant to rest herself completely against Tara, but was unable to control her reaction.

“Oh God, Tara,” she moaned.  “I don’t know if . . .”

Tara knew what Willow was afraid of, but she also knew Willow had underestimated her strength.  Her girlfriend’s weight was ultra-light, and she knew instinctively that she’d be able to support it.  Willow was so sweet for caring though, but Tara wasn’t in a sweetness kind of mood.  With determination, Tara pressed her hands even harder against Willow’s ass and roughly sucked her pearl into her mouth.  This was too much for Willow to handle, and her legs finally crumbled beneath her. 

She was surprised when she felt Tara’s hands grip her ass tighter still, as she continued to suck on her clit.  Tara was using her hands to hold Willow to her mouth, partially supporting her weight so she wasn’t smothered.  In fact, she was enjoying the feel of Willow’s weight against her chest and on her mouth.  She felt like Willow’s scent had surrounded her, engulfed her in its magnificence, and it felt so good to have her so close—almost as if she were a part of her own body.

Realizing her girlfriend was okay; that she wasn’t hurt, Willow finally allowed herself to relax.  Tara knew what she was doing.  She wouldn’t let her do anything to hurt either of them . . . she should have known that.  Well, she knew that now, so she might as well enjoy herself.  It’s what Tara wanted after all.

With that thought, Willow gave herself completely over to her desires.  She closed her eyes, rested her hands on the mattress, and threw her head back in rapture as she rode her girlfriend’s tongue.  Tara had stopped paying attention to her clit a few moments ago, and was now using her tongue to penetrate her in the most erotic fashion.  Tara was an expert at finding her sweet spot, and with each thrust she curled her tongue skillfully against it, bringing Willow closer, and closer to the edge of deliverance.

Willow soon began to thrust herself faster, and faster against Tara’s tongue; seeking more and more penetration.  She formed her own rhythm and in turn made Tara’s job a hell of a lot easier for her.  Tara was utterly enjoying her girlfriend’s reaction; loving the fact that she was finally allowing herself to lose control.  She wanted Willow to be free, and to trust her completely as she came for her.

Neither girl knew how much time had passed, but Willow was now so close to her goal she could no longer form coherent thoughts.  “Oh, oh, oh God, oh Tara, I . . . I . . . I . . . I love you Baby . . . I love youuuuuuuuu . . . ohhhhhhh . . .”

Tara dug her fingernails deep into Willow’s ass as she pressed the girl hard against her mouth.  Her Baby was coming for her, and she didn’t want to let even a single drop escape her lips.  Willow-essence was the best tasting nectar in the world.  How could it not be?  It was Willow’s.

The sweet sting of Tara’s fingernails pushed Willow completely over the edge, as wave after wave of pure ecstasy engulfed her.  She was screaming loudly, trembling uncontrollably, and allowing herself to completely lose control.  She trusted her girlfriend unreservedly to guide them both to safety; to set them free, but at the same time bind them to one another forever.

When Willow had finally stopped trembling, Tara kept her girlfriend pinned to her just long enough to soak up the last of her essence, before releasing her.  Tara kept her hands against Willow’s ass, but guided the girl down her body so that Willow was now lying on top of her.  She then lifted her hands up to Willow’s cheeks and brought their lips together in a gentle and loving kiss.

“Mmm,” Willow sighed as Tara broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around her back.  Her girlfriend hugged her tight, and Willow rested her head against her breasts.  “I’m not too heavy, am I?” she asked softly.

Tara smiled and pressed a soft kiss against Willow’s hair.  “No Baby, you’re just perfect.”

“I love you Tara,” Willow responded, keeping her eyes closed.

“I love you, too.”

“Tara,” Willow continued.

“Mmm?”

“Happy anniversary.”

Tara grinned at Willow’s words.  “You remembered?”

“How could I forget?”  Willow lifted her head up slightly, so as to meet Tara’s gaze.  “It’s been the best month of my life,” she said with utmost sincerity.

“Mine too,” Tara replied.  “I love you Willow . . . I will always love you . . . forever.”

“Forever and a day,” Willow countered, grinning madly.

Tara giggled and kissed her girlfriend’s lips.  Willow’s silliness was yet another thing she loved about her—it so closely matched her own quirky humor.  Willow was definitely her soulmate—no one but a soulmate could ever understand her in the same way that Willow did.  Willow always knew what she meant when she made a joke.  Willow always understood her silent looks, and they only had to look into each other’s eyes to get a feeling across.  The connection between them transcended everything; time, space, as well as their physical bodies.

“I love you so much Willow,” Tara said huskily as she broke their kiss.  “I . . . I n-never want to be without you.”

Willow looked down at her girlfriend, and blinked away her unexpected tears of emotion.  The look in Tara’s eyes as she’d said those words, the passion with which she’d said them, made Willow’s heart pound.  “I’m never gonna leave you Tara,” she told her softly.  “I’ve only just found you, and . . . I love you . . . love you so much it . . . it hurts when you’re not around . . .”

“Really?”  Tara whispered, forcing down her own tears.

“More than you’ll ever know Baby . . . more than you’ll ever know . . .” 

With fresh tears in her eyes, Willow leaned down and captured her girlfriend’s lips.  She kissed her softly at first, showing her tenderly how much she loved her.  After a minute though, the desire coursing through her veins urged her on, and she was now exploring her girlfriend’s mouth with her tongue—pausing every once in a while to engage in a friendly tongue-battle with Tara.

Tara began moving her hands up and down Willow’s back, gently scraping her fingernails against her skin.  Willow’s urgent kiss was fueling her sexuality . . . causing her whole body to ache for Willow-hand . . . for Willow-tongue.

As if she could read her mind, Willow soon began moving her right hand from Tara’s cheek, down her side, across her thigh—until it finally found its way in between her legs.  She then gently worked her fingers through Tara’s curls, spread open her lips and pressed them firmly against her clit.

She knew exactly what her girlfriend liked, and was now deftly moving her fingers in a well-practiced rhythm.  She pressed hard against Tara’s sex, making sure to follow the circular motion she knew her girlfriend needed.  She loved Tara more than she’d ever loved anyone in her life, and right this moment, the only thought in her head was to please her.

As if she was thinking the same thing, Tara chose that moment to move her own hand from Willow’s back, and go on a little journey of her own.  Before long, her fingers were copying Willow’s as she dexterously worked her magick on her girlfriend’s sex.  She too knew what her girlfriend liked, and was determined to bring her along for the ride.  Ever since they’d both admitted how they felt for one another, Tara had learned how much better it was to come together; how it made the experience that much more meaningful. 

Within minutes, the two girls were screaming each other’s names as they reached the pinnacle of their expedition.  As usual, whenever they reached this point together, their bodies inadvertently began to float upward; propelled by the intensity of their energy release. 

“I love this part,” Willow said softly a minute later, referring to the fact they were both floating in mid-air.  “It’s so cool.”

Tara looked up at her girlfriend and smiled.  She had to agree with Willow—the floating part was pretty cool.  However . . . “It’s not the best part though,” she told her huskily.

“No,” Willow agreed with a soft smile, “not the best . . .” She leaned down and briefly captured Tara’s lips.  “Definitely not the best,” she whispered as she pulled away.

“You wanna get down?”  Tara asked.

“That would mean I’d have to remove my fingers . . . right?”

“And I’d have to remove mine,” Tara continued.

“Then I say not,” Willow replied sexily, suddenly feeling a little naughty.  “You wanna go again?”

“You mean, in mid-air . . . while we’re floating . . .?” 

“Sure, why not?”  Willow grinned.  “We’ve never tried it from up here before.  It could be fun . . .”

Tara’s smile widened as she pondered the idea; liking it more with each passing second.  “Fun . . .” she began.

“You wanna . . .?”

In response, Tara moved her hand slightly, and gently used two of her fingers to penetrate Willow’s sex.

Willow bucked into Tara’s hand, and responded in kind.  “Oh Baby,” she sighed, closing her eyes with sensation.  “Does that mean yes?”

“Mmmm,” Tara replied, bucking her own hips into Willow’s hand.  “Oh yes . . .”

It was a new experience for the two Wiccans—making love in mid-air, but they soon got the hang of it.  In fact, as they continued their hip movements, the girls began to wonder why they hadn’t thought of this before.  Lovemaking in mid-air definitely had its advantages.  No restrictions for one.  They were not tied down to the confines of the bed, and were both free to move as they chose.

It wasn’t long before they both realized yet another advantage of being in mid-air.  They were both close to the edge of their peak, but as of one mind, an idea started to develop.  They wanted to taste their girlfriend, but they wanted to do so together.

“Tara . . .”

“Willow . . .”

They both said their girlfriend’s name together. 

“You wanna . . .” They trailed off as they realized they were both thinking the same thing.  Without another word, the girls made sure to keep their fingers buried deep within their girlfriend, as they repositioned themselves.  Their movements came very easily to them, seeing as they were both weightless. 

Pretty soon, the girls were floating on their sides, with their heads nestled in between their girlfriend’s legs.  Their tongues were paying homage to one another’s clits, while their fingers continued to thrust into their girlfriend’s bodies.

As they continued their lovemaking, the girls’ bodies also continued to move.  Their heated hip thrusts were causing them to continuously change positions, so that one moment Willow was on top, and the next it was Tara’s turn, while at other times neither of them were on top, but they were both on their sides.

This form of lovemaking was so intense, that it didn’t take the girls long to break through to the other side of reality.  When they once again released their energy, the girls were doubly blessed, as they were both granted the chance to drink from their girlfriend’s fountain of ecstasy.

It took them longer to recover from their release this time; on account of the intensity, and the fact that they’d already reached this point a few times this morning.  When they were both finally lucid enough to form proper thoughts, the exact nature of what they’d done slowly began to seep into their consciousness.

With slow movements, the girls removed their lips and fingers from one another’s bodies.  The moment they did so, Willow turned around to face her girlfriend head-on, as they gradually floated back down to the bed.  They landed with a gentle thump on their sides, facing one another.

“That was amazing,” Willow whispered.  “Incredible . . .”

“Yeah,” Tara had to agree.  “Amazing . . .”

“We’re amazing,” Willow continued.  “I’m surprised we never tried this before—the floating thing is . . . it’s . . . I . . . I can’t find words to express how . . . how . . .”

“Amazing it is?”

Willow giggled.  “Amazing . . .”

Tara giggled as well, and once their laughter had died down a bit, the two girls were left staring into each other’s eyes.  The love they felt for one another was clearly evident in their gaze, and they suddenly couldn’t pry their eyes away from their girlfriend.

“We should get some breakfast,” Willow said eventually, when her stomach chose to remind her how hungry she was.

“And mochas,” Tara continued, knowing her girlfriend needed her daily dose of caffeine in order to function properly.

“Right, mustn’t forget the caffeine.”

“Um, Will . . .” Tara ventured as Willow moved to get up.  “I . . . I wanna ask you something.”

“What’s that?”  Willow sat back down on the bed.

“What did you wanna do today . . . for our anniversary?  I . . . I was gonna plan something, but when Oz showed up, I . . . I . . .”

Willow smiled warmly at her girlfriend, interrupting her before she could continue.  “I get it,” she said softly.  “I . . . I thought we could go to a movie, maybe have dinner at a fancy restaurant, and then go to the Bronze for a while . . . although . . .”

“What?”  Tara had to ask, wondering at her hesitation.  She liked Willow’s itinerary, and wondered what the ‘although’ was for.

“After this morning . . .” Willow smiled devilishly.

“What?”

“We could stay in,” Willow explained.  “Order food if we get hungry, and . . . you know . . . all day . . . if you want . . .?”

Tara thought about it for all of one second.  What better way to spend your one month anniversary, than by making love with your girlfriend all day?

“I’m in,” she grinned.

Willow smiled in response, and kissed her girlfriend’s lips.  “But breakfast first,” she sighed as she pulled away.

“Right, breakfast,” Tara agreed, sitting up in bed.  She watched in silence as her girlfriend made her way towards the door.  “Um, Willow . . .” she ventured, just as the girl was about to open the door and step outside.

Willow turned towards her girlfriend.  “Yeah?”

“You might wanna put some clothes on before you go outside,” Tara grinned.

Willow looked down at her naked body and grinned.  “Might help,” she giggled as she returned to the bed.  “See what you do to me,” she chastised her girlfriend mockingly.  “I can’t even think straight anymore.”

Tara chuckled, and softly kissed Willow’s lips.  “You had fun though,” she grinned.  “Admit it . . .”

“Never,” Willow joked, putting on her most stubborn face. 

“No fun?”  Tara asked, moving her hand to Willow’s thigh.  “You mean you didn’t like this?” she rested her fingers gently against her girlfriend’s mons, making sure not to apply any pressure.

Willow closed her eyes as she shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.  She could feel the heat of Tara’s hand against her, and to make things more difficult for her, it appeared as if her girlfriend was releasing a little of her energy as well—teasing her with magick.

“Mmm,” she moaned, “no fair . . .”

“What . . .?”  Tara asked, oh-so innocently.

“You don’t play fair,” Willow grinned.  She opened her eyes, and lunged for her girlfriend, capturing her lips heatedly.

Tara chose that moment to press her fingers in between Willow’s nether-lips, and latched onto her throbbing nub.

Willow moaned into Tara’s mouth as her girlfriend stimulated her erotically.  Breakfast is gonna have to wait, was the last thought she had in her head, before she pushed her girlfriend down onto the bed, and began thrusting into her hand.

Tara willingly gave Willow what she was after, enjoying her reaction.  She loved watching her girlfriend come in her arms.  However, when she felt Willow’s hand reach down in between them to return the favor—she realized she loved this even more.  There was nothing in the world that compared to mutual lovemaking . . . nothing at all.

***

A few hours later, Willow and Tara had finally made it out of bed long enough to pull on their robes and head towards the shower block.  After their shower, they headed off towards the Rocket Café—too late for breakfast, but just in time for lunch.  When they’d finally made it back to Tara’s room, Willow had formed a perfect plan in her head.  She’d thought about Tara’s words; recalled how she’d talked about trust . . . how it cut both ways, and her busy little mind couldn’t help but formulate an idea.  It was their anniversary after all, and if they were gonna spend the whole day making love, she might as well add an element of trust to it.

“Tara,” Willow ventured, once they were both inside, and the door was firmly shut.

“Yes Will?” she asked, moving towards her girlfriend and putting her arms around her waist.  “What is it?”

“You wanna play a game?”

“A game?”  Tara asked tentatively, sensing Willow had something on her mind.  “What kind of game?”

“A trust game,” Willow grinned.

“A trust game?”  Tara couldn’t help but be intrigued.

Willow’s grin widened at the look of perplexity on her girlfriend’s face.  “Well . . . you were the one who brought up the whole trust thing this morning, so I . . . well, I kinda thought it was my turn to . . . you know . . . initiate a trust thing . . .”

“You’re not talking anything kinky are you?”  Tara smirked, only half joking.  She didn’t know what to think about Willow’s words.  She didn’t really take Willow for the kinky type . . . but if she wanted to experiment . . . as long as it was tasteful . . .

 “No kink . . .” Willow chuckled.  “Well . . . not today anyway . . .”

Tara giggled in response, becoming even more intrigued.  “Then, um . . . what?”

“You trust me, right?”

Tara nodded.  “You know I do.”

“You trust me enough to do everything I say?”

“What are you getting at Will?”

“I thought we could play a game . . .”

“A trust game . . . yeah, you already said that.”

Willow chuckled at Tara’s impatience.  “Ever heard of Simon Says?”

Tara raised an eyebrow at Willow’s question.  “You wanna play Simon Says?”

“Not exactly,” Willow grinned.  “More like Willow Says.”

“Willow Says . . .?”

“Right!  You do as I say . . . but only as I say.”

Seeing the glint in her girlfriend’s eyes, Tara knew that what she had in mind was probably of a sexual nature.  “You mean I have to do everything you say?”

“Right . . . but only what I say . . . nothing else.”

Becoming more intrigued with each passing second, Tara decided to comply.  Besides, she could never refuse her girlfriend anything, especially when it was bound to be a lot of fun, and very sexy.

“Okay,” she said softly, locking her eyes with Willow’s.  “I’m yours.  What do you want me to do?”  She did her best to keep a straight face, but was unable to resist a soft chuckle.

Willow giggled as well, feeling giddy about what they were about to do.  “So you trust me with this?” she had to ask.

Tara smiled in response.  “Whatever you want Will.”

“Whatever I want?”  Willow grinned, the sparkle in her eye getting brighter.

“You name it.”

“Okay,” Willow began, putting on her serious face.  “I . . . I . . .” she paused, suddenly not sure of what to say.  She knew what she wanted to do, but she hadn’t really thought it through completely.  “I want you to stand next to the bed,” Willow continued, deciding to start small.

“Over here?”  Tara asked, as she unlinked her hands from her girlfriend’s waist and moved towards the bed.

“Right.”

“What now?”

Willow grinned, and folded her arms.  She looked at her girlfriend and pretended to think.  “Hmmm . . . let me see . . .”

Tara chuckled at Willow’s silliness, enjoying this immensely. 

“Your blouse,” Willow said finally.

“My blouse?”

“Take it off,” she requested, still grinning.

Without a word, Tara moved her hands to the base of her blouse.

“No!”  Willow stopped her before she could drag it off her body.  “I . . . I want you to do it slowly . . . undo the buttons first.”

Tara let go of her blouse, and moved her hands towards her top button.  “Like this?” she asked, working the button open slowly.

“Yeah,” Willow smiled.  “Like that . . . very sexy like . . .”

Tara smiled back at her girlfriend, looking at her from beneath her lashes as she worked each button open.  When she’d reached the final button of her blouse, she didn’t open her shirt, but merely looked up at Willow.  She wanted to hear her girlfriend say exactly what she wanted her to do next.  Willow’s idea had the potential to be a lot of fun, and she was determined to make it as interesting as possible; to draw it out as much as she could.  If Willow wanted to play, then she’d do some playing of her own.

Willow watched in silence as her girlfriend looked up at her, wondering why she’d stopped.  “Keep going,” she urged, feeling her own body buzzing with anticipation.

“With what?”  Tara asked, feigning ignorance.  “What exactly do you want me to do . . .?”

Willow chuckled, realizing what Tara was doing.  Okay, she thought to herself, so that’s how she wants to play this.  “Slip the blouse off your shoulders,” she told her huskily.

Tara was quick to comply, and smoothly let the blouse fall to the floor.  “Satisfied?” she asked her girlfriend, using her most sexy voice.

Willow grinned.  “Not yet,” she replied.  “But I will be.”

“Oh?”  Tara returned, “Have something in mind?”

Willow nodded, her grin widening.  “Oh yes,” she whispered.  “But first . . .”

“Yes?”

“Move your hands to the top button of your jeans.”

Tara did as she was told, and then looked up at her girlfriend for her next command.

“Undo the button,” Willow instructed, “and then lower the zipper.”

“As you wish,” Tara whispered sexily, doing just that.

“Now your shoes,” Willow continued.  “Take them off.”

“Yes ma’am,” Tara quipped, crouching as she unlaced her boots.  When she’d slipped them off, she returned to a standing position, and eyed her girlfriend sexily.  “All done.”

Willow smiled, enjoying her girlfriend’s tone of voice; her attitude.  “I want you to take your jeans off now.  Slip them down your legs and step out of them.”

“Whatever you say . . . Mistress,” Tara giggled, as she worked the material down her legs.

“Tara,” Willow laughed, surprised by her girlfriend’s cheekiness.  The girl would never cease to amaze her.

Tara couldn’t stop her own giggles as she took in Willow’s reaction.  She’d known the word would affect her that way, and was even a bit surprised herself by her own audacity.  Normally, she’d never be so bold as to joke about such things, but knowing Willow loved her brought out a side of her she’d never shown to anyone else; a playful, sexy, confident side.  This was definitely shaping up to be one of the best days ever, she thought to herself.

“What now . . . Mistress Willow?”  Tara quipped, once the jeans had been completely taken care of.

Willow looked at her underwear-clad girlfriend, and felt the wetness between her legs building.  Tara was the sexiest person she’d ever met.  Despite her arousal though, she couldn’t help giggling; the way Tara had said ‘Mistress Willow’ left her feeling entirely giddy.  She was thoroughly enjoying her girlfriend’s playful side.

“Oh God,” Willow chuckled, moving towards her girlfriend, “no wonder I love you so much.” 

With that, she lifted her hands to her girlfriend’s cheeks, and brought their lips together; kissing her ardently.  She thrust her tongue deep within Tara’s lips, exploring the well-known territory with as much passion as a lover’s kiss would warrant.

Tara resisted the urge to kiss Willow back, wanting to stick with the game plan.  Willow had said she wanted her to do whatever she asked . . . but only what she asked, and Tara was determined to make Willow ask.  If Willow wanted something, then she was gonna have to tell her exactly what she wanted.  It was Willow’s idea after all, and two could play at this game . . .

It took Willow about a minute to realize she wasn’t being kissed back, but when she did, she couldn’t help admiring Tara’s determination.  So she wants to play, Willow thought to herself, pulling away from the kiss and smiling at her girlfriend.

Tara smiled back, doing her best not to giggle.  She could see Willow had caught on to what she’d been doing, and was curious to find out how far she would take this; where this whole game would end up. 

“You want me to do something?” she asked Willow innocently, her smile turning into more of a smirk.

Willow took a step back from Tara, and admired her semi-nakedness, deciding to take her time in responding.  “Well . . . let me think . . .”

“Yes . . .?”  Tara urged softly, feeling the heat rising in her body from Willow’s gaze.  The way her girlfriend was looking at her was enough to make anyone blush.

“Take off your bra,” she instructed eventually.

“Okay,” Tara replied, reaching behind her to undo the clasp.  She then shrugged her shoulders and let the cottony material fall to the floor.

“Now do me,” Willow grinned, resisting the urge to pinch Tara’s nipples.  Her girlfriend’s breasts would never stop having this effect on her; the effect of near intoxication. 

“You?”  Tara asked, not quite understanding what Willow wanted.

“Take my clothes off,” Willow clarified, using her most husky voice.

“Oh,” Tara smiled, taking a step closer to her girlfriend.  “Where do you want me to start?”

“Shirt,” Willow said, lifting her hands above her head.  “Take off my shirt.”

Tara moved her hands to the base of Willow’s shirt, and quickly dragged it up her torso, and over her arms.  She then tossed it to the floor as she met Willow’s gaze. 

“Next?”

“Skirt,” Willow whispered; her heart pounding.  This game was the sexiest thing Willow had ever experienced, and she was enjoying every second of it.

“Yes ma’am,” Tara said breathlessly, moving her hands to Willow’s waist.

She slowly brought them around to her back until she located her zipper.  With tentative movements, she gradually worked the zipper down Willow’s body, making sure to brush her knuckles against Willow’s ass.  She smiled when her girlfriend gasped at her touch; pleased with her reaction.  She then guided the skirt sensuously down Willow’s thighs, before standing up and allowing her to step out of it.

Willow didn’t bother to ask Tara to take off her shoes, but kicked them off herself.  She was eager to feel her girlfriend’s hands on her body; to experience her touch, but she was also eager to touch her girlfriend as well.  Looking at Tara, seeing her patient expression, Willow couldn’t decide what she wanted more—Tara’s touch, or to touch Tara.

“What do you want?”  Tara asked, making Willow feel as if she’d read her mind.

“I don’t know,” she admitted softly.  “I . . . I wanna touch you, but I . . . I want you to touch me too . . .”

Tara grinned, loving her girlfriend’s dilemma.  “It’s up to you,” she replied, not offering any help.  “Whatever you want—all you have to do is ask.”

“Touch me,” Willow said, not really making a choice one way or the other, but deciding she couldn’t remain in stasis any longer.

“Where do you want me to touch you?”

“Touch my breasts,” Willow said breathlessly.  “Take off my bra, and touch my breasts.”

“Anything you want,” Tara responded, quickly divesting her girlfriend of her bra.  “How do you want me to touch your breasts?” she asked, deciding not to make this easy for Willow.  Besides, it was turning her on intensely to hear Willow say what she wanted; to hear her say how she wanted to be touched . . . it was very sexy.

Willow blushed, realizing how far Tara wanted to take this.  She’d always had a problem talking about sex; talking sexy.  So why had she started this in the first place?  Well, she hadn’t planned that Tara would respond to it in quite the manner she had; that she’d be so insistent on dragging each directive out of her completely.  Although, now that she’d started it, she’d have to finish it . . . and it was kind of a turn on—talking explicitly.  Wait, who was she kidding?  It was more than just a turn on, it was down right exhilarating.

“Okay,” Willow said, deciding to continue. 

“Okay?”

Willow grinned.  “Cup my breasts,” she told her girlfriend softly, unable to stop the blush creeping to her cheeks.  “Cup them in your hands for a moment, and then pinch both of my nipples.”

Tara felt her own face turning red at Willow’s directive; she’d sounded so sexy.  “Oh . . . oh kay,” she said breathlessly, unable to form a proper sentence.  Keeping her eyes locked with Willow’s, Tara moved her hands to her girlfriend's breasts, following her orders to a T.  “Is this what you want?”

Willow closed her eyes at the sensation of Tara’s hands on her breasts.  “Mmmm,” she moaned in response, arching her back and pushing her breasts further into Tara’s hands.  “Oh, yeah . . . oh Tara . . . your hands are . . . they’re so . . . so . . . mmmm . . .”

Tara’s pulse quickened as she witnessed her girlfriend’s reaction.  Willow could be so sensual when she wanted to be; the way she arched her back, moaned in desire . . . She just hoped she’d be able to stick to the game plan. 

She kneaded Willow’s breasts for only a brief moment, before deciding it was nipple-time.  Keeping her palms in place on the underside of Willow’s breasts, Tara moved her thumb and forefinger up to her girlfriend’s nipples, pinching them gently.

“Oh God,” Willow sighed, her body trembling at Tara’s touch. 

After a few minutes of enjoying Tara’s expert handling of her nipples, Willow decided she wanted more.  The throbbing between her legs was so urgent now, that it could no longer be ignored.  “Stop Baby,” she sighed, forcing her eyes open.

“Stop?”  Tara asked, instantly moving her hands away.

“Oh no,” Willow groaned missing her girlfriend’s touch.  “Don’t stop.”  She wanted Tara’s hands back on her breasts.

Tara giggled, wondering what Willow wanted.  “Which is it?” she asked her girlfriend humorously.  “Stop or don’t stop?”

“Both,” Willow chuckled, knowing she was being irrational.

“Tell me how to do both, and I’ll do it,” Tara teased.

Willow smiled in response.  “Okay, okay . . . being irrational here . . . I know . . .”

“Just a little,” Tara agreed, letting out a soft chuckle of her own.

“Well then, I want you to touch me,” Willow responded.

“Touch you where?”

“Down there,” Willow looked downwards at her own sex, and then back up at Tara.

“Down where?”  Tara asked, wanting to hear her girlfriend say the word.

“You know where,” Willow blushed.

“I . . . I need to be guided.”  Tara insisted, knowing exactly how hard it was for Willow to say that word.

Seeing her girlfriend wasn’t going to relent, Willow sighed in frustration.  “Fine,” she began, “then, um . . . start by taking off my, uh . . . my panties.”

“Sure, I can do that,” Tara grinned, moving her hands to Willow’s waist.  A second later, she’d worked the satiny material down her thighs, and helped her step out of them.

“Now what?” she asked Willow as she stood back up.

“You know what,” Willow smiled sexily, hoping her girlfriend would comply without her having to say anymore.

“No I don’t,” Tara met her girlfriend’s smile with a smirk.  “You have to tell me.  Just say it Willow,” she whispered softly.

Willow pouted, making another attempt at avoidance.  “Please?” she asked sweetly.

“All you have to do is ask.”

“Touch me,” Willow responded, giving her girlfriend her most sexy pout.  “Please . . .”

“Where?”

“Down there . . .”

“Your toes?”

“No.”

“Then where?”

“You know where,” Willow sighed, becoming more and more frustrated.  “My sexy place . . .”

Tara chuckled in response.  “All your places are sexy,” she commented.

“Please Tara,” Willow whispered.

Tara shook her head in response, determined not to give in. 

“You mean you really won’t touch me unless I say it?”  Willow pouted, her frustration clearly evident in her demeanor, as well as her energy.

“Oh Will,” Tara sighed, taking a step towards her girlfriend.  “Of course I’ll touch you,” she whispered, using her right hand to cup Willow’s sex.  Tentatively, she pressed her fingers between Willow’s folds, and deftly located the girl’s clitoris.  She could never refuse her girlfriend anything, and even though they were playing a game, Willow’s happiness meant more to her than winning.

Willow gasped at Tara’s touch, closing her eyes with sensation.  She was ecstatic her girlfriend had given in, and loved her all the more for it.  She knew why Tara had relented, and her heart filled with joy to realize how much the girl really loved her.

Lifting her hands, Willow wrapped them around Tara’s neck, and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.  “Thank you,” she said quietly against the soft skin of Tara’s cheek.  “Thank you for touching my . . . my . . .” she trailed off, taking a deep breath before whispering the word into her girlfriend’s ear.

Tara’s mouth opened in shock as she heard the word come out of Willow’s mouth.  She’d never heard anything sexier, and it was all she could do to remain standing. 

“Oh, God . . . Willow,” she moaned, moving her head back to meet her eyes.

“Satisfied?”  Willow asked, grinning devilishly; pleased with the reaction she’d had on her girlfriend.

“I love you Willow,” Tara said, unable to think of anything else to describe the emotion she was feeling right now.

“I love you, too,” Willow whispered, leaning in to kiss her girlfriend’s lips.  “Lets take this to the bed,” Willow suggested huskily a few seconds later.  “I want you to make love to me.”

Tara nodded as she removed her hand from between Willow’s legs, allowing Willow to move towards the bed.  She watched in silence as her girlfriend lay down on the mattress, and motioned for her to do the same.

Not waiting to be directed, Tara quickly removed her panties, before joining her girlfriend on the bed.  Their game was over, and Willow wasn’t the only one who wanted to be made love to.

Willow grinned at Tara’s actions, knowing exactly what the girl wanted.  Funnily enough, she wanted the same thing.  “Take me Tara,” Willow demanded, as her girlfriend straddled her hips.  “Take me now.”

“Whatever you want,” Tara replied, plunging her fingers deep into her girlfriend’s body.

Willow responded by arching her hips, and moving her own hand to Tara’s sex.  “Is this what you want?” she asked her girlfriend, pushing her fingers expertly into Tara’s sweet spot.

“Oh yes,” Tara sighed, leaning down to capture Willow’s lips.  This was exactly what she wanted.

***

The girls spent the rest of the day making love to one another.  Stopping only to take the occasional nap, or to go to the bathroom.  For dinner, they decided to simply order a pizza; neither of them feeling much like leaving the dorm. 

As a result of their marathon-like lovemaking, Tara never got around to bringing up the whole long-term commitment issue.  However, she realized it didn’t really matter; they had the rest of their lives to talk about it.

The next morning, Willow and Tara awoke to the sound of knocking.  Seeing as it was Tara’s room, the blonde hastily dragged on her robe, and moved to answer the door.

“Who was it?”  Willow asked, as Tara returned to the bed a minute later.  Her semi-awake state had made it difficult for her to focus on Tara and whoever had been at the door.

“Just my RA,” Tara explained, sitting down next to Willow.  “She wanted to remind me to sign up for next semester’s classes.  We’ve got exams all next week, and she said most students forget, and then don’t sign up until next semester, and by then a lot of the classes they want are taken, and . . .”

“She’s right,” Willow exclaimed, suddenly worried.  How could she have forgotten?  She was usually the first one to remember such things.  “We should do that now,” she sat up in anguish.

Tara giggled at Willow’s reaction.  “It’s okay Will,” Tara said reassuringly.  “We’ve still got a few weeks before the end of the semester, and the deadline isn’t until after summer, and . . .”

“But what if all the classes I want get taken, and I’m not able to . . .?”

“Will,” Tara interrupted her, seeing where this was going.  “You wanna go and grab the forms after breakfast?”

Willow nodded her head vigorously.  “Right, after breakfast,” she grinned.  “We can choose our classes together.”

Smiling adoringly at her girlfriend, Tara placed her hand gently against her cheek.  “I love you Willow,” she spoke her mind.

Willow smiled at her girlfriend, warmed by her words.  “I love you too, Tara,” she replied, realizing what she’d done.  “I kind of overreacted, didn’t I?” she asked her sheepishly.

“Not really,” Tara soothed.  “You just acted like, well . . . like Willow.”

“Like me?” she giggled.  “What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re, um . . . very cute,” Tara explained, “kinda quirky.”

“Quirky?”

“Yeah,” Tara grinned.  “A loveable kind of quirky.”

Willow chuckled in response.  “As long as I’m loveable . . .” she quipped.

“Totally,” Tara returned, emphasizing her point by kissing Willow’s lips. 

“So you’re saying you love me,” Willow asked as she broke the kiss, “despite my quirks?”

“I love you because of ‘em,” she chuckled, her eyes locked with Willow’s.  “Your quirks make you . . . special.”

“I can live with that,” Willow grinned, leaning in to kiss her girlfriend again.

“So . . . breakfast . . .?”  Tara asked breathlessly a minute later, pulling away from the kiss.

“Right . . . breakfast,” Willow responded, debating whether or not to skip the meal entirely.  The urge to make love to her girlfriend was fuelling her more at this moment, than the need for food . . . even more than the need to sign up for classes.  Making her mind up, Willow leaned back in and re-captured Tara’s lips.  Forms and breakfast could wait; loving Tara couldn’t.

***

An hour later, Willow and Tara had finally managed to leave the bedroom and have a shower, before heading off to the Rocket Café for breakfast.  Afterwards, they picked up all the booklets and forms they needed to help them pick out and sign up for next semester’s classes, and then headed back to Tara’s dorm.

They were now sitting in Tara’s room; Willow on the bed and Tara on a chest at the foot of the bed.  Tara had the course selection booklet in her lap, and was helping Willow pick out her classes, while the redhead played with their kitten.

“Oh,” Willow sighed, referring to Miss Kitty, “I keep thinking ‘OK, that’s the cutest thing ever,’ and then she does something even cuter, and completely resets the whole scale.”

Tara smiled in response, knowing exactly what Willow meant.  “Did you see her yawn earlier?”

“Yes!”  Willow exclaimed excitedly.  “I thought I was going to die.”  She picked up the kitten and held it up to her face.  “Oh,” she cooed, “I love you Miss Kitty Fantastico,” she put the kitten back down and began stroking it.

“We’ve got to get her a real name,” Tara observed, smiling at Willow’s antics.  She loved watching her girlfriend play with their kitten; she was so adorable.

“It’s so cool that she’s ours,” Willow continued, stroking the kitten’s coat.

She paused when she realized what she’d said; realized the implications behind it.  What if she’d presumed too much?  “Uh, yours,” Willow covered, feeling a little embarrassed.  “That she’s yours is-is cool . . .”

Tara smiled lovingly at her girlfriend, knowing now was the time to bring up the hidden meaning behind Miss Kitty.  “She can be ours if you want?” she told her softly, hoping she’d read her reaction correctly.

Willow smiled in response, her eyes meeting Tara’s.  Her girlfriend’s words had told her everything she wanted to know, and suddenly she felt a little choked up.  They’d just reached a huge milestone in their relationship, and she had no idea what to say.

“You still need an elective,” Tara changed the subject, feeling just as choked up as Willow.  She looked down at the booklet in her lap.  “How ‘bout Sophomore Level Psychology?” she glanced back up at her girlfriend.

Willow’s pulse quickened at Tara’s words, finding her girlfriend’s tone of voice entirely sexy.  “Oh, kinda psyched out since Professor Walsh . . . maybe something fun like drama?  I could be dramatic,” she quipped, picking up Miss Kitty.

She held their kitten up to her face and looked at her mock-sternly.  “You cannot have more catnip!” she exclaimed dramatically.  “You have a catnip problem!”

Tara laughed at her girlfriend’s playfulness; enjoying her cuteness.  “Definitely drama,” she chuckled, as the kitten pawed at Willow’s face. 

Lowering the kitten back down to her lap, Willow glanced up at Tara.  “I haven’t even dealt with the housing situation yet,” she admitted.  “Have you done anything?  I here there’s some off campus places that are way cool for groups to, you know . . . go in on . . .”

She trailed off, her heart racing.  She kinda liked the idea of sharing a room with Tara; of living with her girlfriend.  Although, they were practically living together as it was . . . but not officially.  She still had her room with Buffy.  What if Tara didn’t want to live with her?  What if she was moving things too quickly?

“Oh,” Tara sighed, realizing what Willow was getting at.  She’d love to live with Willow officially, but what about Buffy?  The girl’s best friend might be counting on her, and she didn’t want to get between them.  “I just figured you’d be dorming it up with Buffy again,” she explained.

“Well,” Willow pondered over Tara’s point, “we haven’t really talked about it,” she admitted.  “I used to assume we’d be roomies through grad school, well into little old lady-hood, you know . . . cheating at bingo together, forgetting to take our pills . . .”

”But . . .?”  Tara interjected, recognizing her girlfriend’s tone.

“But . . . I don’t know.  It hardly feels like we’re roomies now,” she sighed.  “I mean, she’s busy with Riley . . . and I’m gone a lot too . . .”

Willow trailed off as she realized just how far apart her and Buffy had become.  Their estrangement really didn’t sit well with her.

“I guess I should ask her . . .?”

Tara looked at her girlfriend sympathetically.  “You miss her?”  she asked softly.

“A little,” Willow sighed.  “I mean . . . it’s like we’ve drifted apart, and I . . . I haven’t been able to talk to her as much, and . . . well . . . I’m not too sure how she’s handling the whole . . .”

“What?”  Tara asked as Willow trailed off.  “You and me?”

“Maybe . . .” Willow hesitated.  She wasn’t too sure herself what she thought.  “I think I kinda freaked her . . .”

“You mean when she walked in on us the other day?”  She looked at her girlfriend questioningly.  “Coz . . . you know, I don’t think she took it too badly . . . seeing us together.  I mean, anyone would be uncomfortable seeing their best friend making out . . . especially if it meant finding out for the first time that they were . . .”

“It’s not like that,” Willow interjected before Tara could finish.  “She already knew about us.”

“She did?”  Tara asked, genuinely surprised.  “When did you tell her?  You never told me you . . .”

“It was the other day,” Willow explained, sensing that Tara felt a little hurt.  “I didn’t tell you coz things were hectic.  Oz had come back, and I was confused, and . . . and I didn’t know what to do, and then Buffy walked in and I . . . I just told her, and . . . and she kinda freaked, then she told me to follow my heart, but . . . but I could sense she was freaked, and I didn’t tell you coz I forgot I’d told her.  You know how weird things were.  Right after I’d told her, I saw you, and then after you made love to me, and Oz changed, and the whole Initiative rescue happened, and then we . . . well all I could think of was making love to you, showing you how much I loved you . . . getting over everything, and then . . . well I wanted to test Buffy the next day, but after she left . . . you know . . . talking was the last thing on my mind, and then we got Miss Kitty, and yesterday was . . . you know . . . amazing, and . . . and . . . and now I’m telling you.  Okay?”

Tara smiled in response to Willow’s babbling, her hurt feelings dissolving instantly.  No wonder Willow hadn’t told her.  “So,” she began gently.  “Buffy freaked?”

Willow smiled back, relieved her girlfriend wasn’t upset.  “Yeah,” she sighed.  “She was all weirded out when I told her.  I mean, she said she was cool about it . . . but I could tell she was covering.  You know?”

“That’s why you wanted to test her reaction?”

“Yeah,” Willow grinned.  “I wanted to see if she’d gotten used to the idea . . . if she was just being polite.  I don’t want her to be freaked.  I care about her . . . you know . . .?”

“I know,” Tara said softly, “and I’m sure she’s okay with it.  She didn’t seem too upset when she saw us . . . and besides; she’s your best friend.  She loves you.”

“I hope so,” Willow frowned.  “We’ve been really distant lately . . . and I haven’t been that good a friend either.  I mean, I kept this from her . . . kept us a secret . . . maybe if I’d told her from the start . . .”

“Told her what?”  Tara interrupted.  “You probably didn’t even know yourself what this was . . . how could you have told Buffy?”

“I kinda knew,” Willow pointed out.  “At first, yeah . . . I wasn’t sure of what this was, but . . . it didn’t take me long to realize I was attracted to you . . . that just being with you made my heart race, and that . . . that every second I wasn’t around you I felt like something was missing.  I loved you long before I could even admit it to myself, and I knew I was at the very least attracted to you—almost from the start.”

“You did?”  Tara asked, becoming intrigued.

Willow grinned.  “Yeah, I did,” she replied.  “I even had, um . . . fantasies about you . . . about us . . . dreams too . . .”

“Fantasies?”

“Remember when we were hiding out from the Initiative . . . when I asked if I could stay at your place for a few days?”

“Yeah . . .?”

“Well . . . remember how I brought the pizza, and then afterwards we both went to the shower block . . .?”

“Go on,” Tara urged, curious to know where this was heading.

“Well, I . . . I had my, uh . . . my first, um . . . that’s when I had this really vivid sexual fantasy about you.”

“In the shower?”

Willow nodded.  “You were right there next to me, and I . . . I just started wondering what it would be like to, um . . . to kiss you . . . to touch you . . . to see you naked . . . to make love to you . . .”

Tara couldn’t believe it; Willow had done it too.  “You’re kidding, right?”  she exclaimed.

Willow shook her head.  “No . . . why . . .?”

“I had it too,” Tara admitted.  “I mean, I . . . I had my uh . . . my first sexual fantasy about you.  It was almost like I could actually feel what it would be like to um . . . to make love to you . . .”

“Me too!”  Willow exclaimed excitedly.  “Real, I mean.  It was like you were actually there . . .”

The two girls stared at each other in amazement, surprised by what they’d just found out.  It was amazing how they’d both fantasized about one another at the same time.  It must’ve had something to do with their magickal connection; as if their energy had reacted to their proximity, and picked up on their hidden feelings—causing them both to vividly visualize their innermost desires.

“We must’ve been linked,” Tara pondered.  “Our energy . . . our heat . . . the need to be with each other . . .”

“And that’s why it seemed so real . . . it was magick . . .” Willow finished off, a huge grin on her face.

The girls leaned in and pressed their lips together, kissing each other passionately.  They were both suddenly turned on by the knowledge of their mutual fantasies . . . being in adjoining shower stalls; fantasizing about making love to one another.  Just as Willow was about to deepen the kiss; about to reach her hands beneath Tara’s sweater—the phone rang.

“Mmm,” they groaned, pulling away reluctantly.

“I’ll get it,” Tara sighed, not wanting to leave her girlfriend.

“Okay,” Willow pouted, watching dejectedly as Tara answered the phone.

“It’s for you,” Tara said a moment later, extending the receiver to her girlfriend.  “It’s Mr. Giles.  He says it’s important,” she covered the receiver with her hand as Willow stood up.  “He sounded kinda funny,” she whispered in Willow’s ear, “almost like he’d been drinking or something . . .”

Willow giggled as she took the phone, placing her own hand against the receiver.  “Drunk?  Giles?” she chuckled. 

“Yeah . . . his words were, um . . . kinda slurred—not too badly, but . . . just a little.”

“I hope he’s okay,” Willow replied, before answering the phone.  “Hey Giles, what’s up?”

As Giles explained about Spike’s trip to the Initiative to retrieve some computer disks, Willow couldn’t help but agree with Tara’s observation.  Giles did seem a little drunk.  He was lucid enough to properly explain the situation, but his voice did sound a bit funny, and he was kinda having a problem correctly pronouncing words with more than three syllables—which in most people would be quite a normal thing, but not in the ex-Watcher’s case.

“You were right,” Willow told Tara as she hung up the phone.  “Giles did seem kinda drunk.”

Tara smiled at her girlfriend as she sat back down on the bed.  “What did he want?”

“My computer skills,” Willow quipped.

Tara chuckled.  “What do you mean?”

“Spike’s gone to the Initiative to get some disks . . . apparently they have some information about what’s going down, and . . .”

“He wants you there to make sense of them?”  Tara finished off.

“Right,” Willow grinned.

“So we gotta leave now?”  Tara pouted, realizing she wasn’t going to get a chance to make love to her girlfriend.

Willow frowned too, thinking the same thing as her girlfriend.  “It’s not fair . . . Scoobie duties are always getting in the way.”

“Mmmm,” Tara agreed, before relenting.  “Although . . . saving the world . . . kinda important . . .”

“I guess . . .” Willow sighed, “but it’s not as much fun as . . . you know . . .”

“We’ll have time tonight,” Tara pointed out.

Willow’s mood suddenly perked up.  “Yeah,” she said excitedly.  “We can make love tonight . . . all night . . . over, and over and . . .”

Tara chuckled at her girlfriend’s enthusiasm.  “It’s a date then,” Tara grinned.  “You, me . . . a bed, and . . . lotsa sex.”

Willow leaned in towards Tara, resting her forehead against hers.  “Lots and lots of sex,” she confirmed, before capturing her lips.  She kissed her softly at first, but decided she wanted more after about a minute. 

Lifting her arms up, she linked her hands around Tara’s neck, pulling the girl closer towards her as she fell back against the bed.  She then wrapped her thighs around Tara’s waist, as she lowered her hands to the base of her sweater.  A second later, she was working her hands up against her girlfriend’s back, expertly lifting her sweater up off her body.

She pulled away then, and quickly removed Tara’s blouse as well.  Tara could do nothing to resist; she wanted to feel her girlfriend’s hands on her body, just as much as Willow wanted to touch her.  In fact, she too wanted to touch her girlfriend.  This is why she lifted herself up slightly, and made quick work of Willow’s shirt.  A second later she’d unclasped her own bra, as Willow did the same.

They were both naked from the waist up now, and Tara couldn’t resist lowering herself against Willow’s body.  She loved the feel of their nipples rubbing together.  She also loved kissing her girlfriend, so she deftly captured Willow’s lips, and thrust her tongue heatedly into her mouth. 

Willow moaned into the kiss, and began to run her hands sensuously up and down Tara’s back.  All the while she made sure to move her torso in a rhythmical fashion, so as to give them both the pleasure of nipple-friction.

Pretty soon the girls were moving more than just their torsos, as their lower bodies began to thrust against one another’s thighs—seeking pressure.  As of one mind, the girls reached their hands in between their bodies, and quickly unbuttoned their girlfriend’s pants.  It didn’t take long to remove the offending articles of clothing, and a minute later, both girls were completely naked.

Willow and Tara were now thrusting themselves into their girlfriend’s thighs, seeking to put pressure on their clits.  They wanted more however, and instinctively reached a hand down, so as to penetrate one another’s sex.

They were thrusting harder now, and faster, as they both got nearer, and nearer to their peak.  Their fingers pressed deeper, and deeper into their girlfriend’s body, as they pressed their clits harder, and harder into their girlfriend’s thigh.

A few minutes later, both girls were soon nearing their peak, and were determined to bring their girlfriend along with them.  They were so linked to one another, that their energy had intermingled and was fuelling them both on in the same manner; making it easy for them to reach their summit together.

As usual, both girls arrived at their destination simultaneously, and were instantly propelled upwards as their energy was released.  Not many couples were lucky in this fashion, but because the girls shared such a magickal connection, they were so in sync with one another that their release always happened in conjunction with their girlfriend’s.

When the girls had finally regained their composure, they kissed each other softly, before allowing themselves to float back down to the bed.  They immediately reached for one another, and intertwined themselves in a loving embrace; lying on their sides, legs entangled, and foreheads touching.

“Mmm,” Willow sighed.

Tara smiled, “Yeah . . .”

“I love you,” Willow said drowsily, pressing a soft kiss to her girlfriend’s lips.

“Love you too,” Tara responded, allowing her lips to brush against Willow’s as she spoke.

“I don’t wanna leave,” Willow continued.

“Me neither,” Tara agreed, her mind still a little hazy from their lovemaking.

“Love you,” Willow repeated.

“Love you,” Tara mimicked, pressing another kiss to Willow’s lips.

“Mmmm,” Willow moaned, thrusting her tongue into Tara’s mouth.  She deepened the kiss, meeting her girlfriend’s tongue, playing with it, teasing it, enjoying the sensation of kissing her girlfriend.

Neither girl wanted to stop with the kissing, but after a few minutes, they eventually pulled away.  They didn’t go far however, but simply returned to their previous position—resting their foreheads together.

“We should get up soon,” Tara continued, finally opening her eyes.

Willow opened her eyes as well, her mind hazily processing her girlfriend’s words.  “Mmm,” she sighed.  “Leave . . . right . . . disks . . .”

“Yeah,” Tara agreed, not moving an inch.  “Important Scoobie stuff . . .”

“Save the world stuff,” Willow continued.

“They need you,” Tara pointed out.

“Computer stuff . . . hacker-gal . . .”

“That’s my Will . . . hacker-gal and resident Witch,” Tara chuckled, pressing another kiss to her girlfriend’s lips.

Willow instantly responded to the kiss, but pulled away a few seconds later.  “We really should get up,” she sighed.

Tara nodded, smiling warmly at her girlfriend.  “You’re right . . . Mr. Giles is waiting.”

“Although,” Willow interjected.  “I bet Spike isn’t back with the disks yet.  Knowing Spike, he’ll probably wait till nightfall to go there . . . the whole burst into flames thing . . .”

“Right,” Tara agreed, seeing where Willow was going with this.  “And with Mr. Giles being kinda drunk . . . maybe he won’t notice if we’re a little late . . .”

“It’s not like we can do anything without those disks,” Willow continued.  “We’d just be sitting around . . .”

“Doing nothing . . .”

“So we could probably . . .” Willow leaned forward, resting her lips against Tara’s.

“Afford to be a little late,” Tara finished off.

With that, the two girls began to once again explore each other’s bodies.  They made love to one another slowly this time, making sure to completely savor every last inch of their girlfriend; not only with their fingers, but with their lips and tongue as well.

***

A few hours later, the girls finally managed to make their way to the shower block.  After their shower, they stopped by the Rocket Café for a late lunch, before finally making their way over to Giles’ apartment.  It was actually getting a little dark outside when they eventually reached Giles’ place.  This made them feel a little guilty, but due to the semi-inebriated state Giles was in, they didn’t really have to offer up an explanation as to their late-itude.  Giles had simply ushered them in, before heading back to his bottle of scotch.

Willow was a little worried about his drunkenness, but didn’t really feel it was her place to say anything.  Whatever the reason for Giles’ need to lose himself in alcohol—he was a grown man, and probably wouldn’t take kindly to her questioning his actions.  If Giles wanted to get drunk, then it was his prerogative to do so.  Tara felt the same way, and the girls chose to simply ignore the actions of the drunken ex-librarian and immerse themselves in their own conversation as they waited for Spike to show up.

“I wonder how Buffy’s doing,” Willow pondered.  “Do you reckon she’ll be back from LA soon . . .?”

“She went there because of Faith, didn’t she?”  Tara asked.

“Yeah . . . she tried to kill Angel.  I hope she’s okay . . . hope Angel’s okay . . .”

“I’m sure they’re both fine,” Tara soothed. 

“I hope so . . . I hope she gives Faith exactly what she deserves . . . sends her right back into another coma, or . . .”

“You really think Buffy’ll hurt her?”  Tara asked worriedly. 

Much as she disliked what the dark-haired Slayer had done to the Scoobies—Willow included—she still didn’t like the idea of her getting hurt.  Violence had never been a popular idea with her, and no matter how bad a person someone was, she didn’t believe hurting them was the solution.  No one deserved to be hurt; no matter how badly they behaved.  Her way of thinking probably had something to do with the way she’d been treated all her life, and she would never believe it was right to hurt someone—ever.

“Hopefully,” Willow responded.

“Willow . . .” Tara said in surprise.  “No one deserves to be hurt . . . no matter what they’ve done.”

“She tried to kill us,” Willow pointed out, surprised by Tara’s reaction.  “She’s a bad, bad person . . . evil . . . someone should put her down . . . and I say Buffy’s the best one for the job!”

“You really think it’s okay to kill someone . . .?” 

“An evil someone . . . Faith . . . yes,” Willow replied.

“But she’s human,” Tara continued, “and what if she’s sorry?  You don’t think she deserves a chance to make up for what she did?”

“We gave her a chance . . . more than one and she . . . she broke ‘em all.  You know what she’s done . . . she’s evil . . .”

“But human,” Tara insisted.  “I could sense the good in her . . . when she was Buffy, she . . . it’s like she was conflicted . . . as if being in Buffy’s body confused her.”

“What do you mean?”  Willow asked, genuinely bewildered by Tara’s observation. 

“Her energy grated, but it wasn’t evil, more like . . . confused.  I could sense that she didn’t know who she was . . . who she wanted to be.  She needs help Willow . . . guidance . . .”

“You really think Faith has the potential to be a good person?”

“Everyone does,” Tara replied.  “There’s no such thing as a completely evil person—we all have good inside us . . . just like we all have evil . . .”

At least, that’s what she hoped.  She was fully aware of the evil inside her and the only thing that kept her going was the hope that she’d be able to find some way of controlling in . . . hopefully before her next birthday . . .

“And you think Faith can go back to being good . . . just like that?”

“Oh no,” Tara shook her head, bringing her thoughts back to their conversation.  “I think she wants to try though . . . I just have a feeling that Faith feels sorry for what she’s done.”

“A feeling?”  Willow asked.  “You . . . you can tell she’s sorry?”

Tara nodded.  “Kind of . . . I mean, I . . . I sometimes get these hunches . . . like a sudden idea in my head, and it, um . . . it usually turns out to be true.  It’s not exactly a premonition . . . I just know it . . . you know . . .?”

“And you sensed that Faith was sorry . . . that she felt confused?  Why can you sense that about Faith?”  Willow asked; feeling a little disgruntled.  Why would her girlfriend be connected to Faith?  It didn’t make sense.

Tara immediately picked up on her girlfriend’s jealousy, and quickly moved to set her straight.  “It’s not like that,” she insisted.  “I only sensed it after you brought it up . . . that’s how it works.  I . . . I think about something . . . wonder what’s happening, and that’s when I get the feeling . . .”

“Oh,” Willow smiled sheepishly, feeling a little silly for her reaction.  “Sorry . . .”

“It’s okay, Will,” Tara smiled warmly at her girlfriend.  “You know you don’t have to worry about—”

“I know,” Willow interrupted.  “I was just being silly . . . you know how I feel about Faith . . . she’s already taken my people, and . . .”

Tara took a step towards her girlfriend, and smiled warmly.  “Well, she’ll never take me,” she said softly.  “I’m already taken.”

Willow smiled at that and was about to respond, when she heard the loud thump of Giles’ front door slamming.  Standing up in surprise, she turned around and noticed it was Spike; he’d finally made it back from the Initiative.

“I think I lost the buggers,” Spike ventured, closing the door behind him.

“Any luck with the disks?” she asked him as he walked towards her.

Reaching into his pockets, Spike pulled out the disks in question.  “Took what they had,” he began, handing the disks to Willow.  “Should be something useful in one of them.”

“Hope so,” Willow replied, grabbing the disks from the Vampire, before sitting back down at Giles’ desk.

Tara moved towards Willow, and looked over her shoulder as the girl slipped a disk into her laptop.  “What are we looking for?” she asked.

“Anything about Adam,” Willow explained, moving her full attention towards the computer.

“Were there any problems getting in and out?”  Giles looked up from his scotch.

“No,” Spike replied.  “I mean, a couple of them made me on the way out . . . but I took care of ‘em.”

“Gave them a good running-away-from-them, did you?”  Giles interjected sarcastically.

Spike looked up in annoyance at the half-drunk ex-Watcher.  “Well yeah.  When do I get paid?”

“When Willow tells me you've brought us something useful.”  Giles explained.

Spike turned his attention towards the aforementioned redhead, and couldn’t help noticing the way Tara was absently stroking a lock of her girlfriend’s hair.  He could see how much Blondie cared for Red—he could almost smell the love in the air.  This gave him an idea though, a way to begin his plan.  All in good time, he thought to himself, as he took a few steps towards Giles.  It was Watcher-boy’s turn now.

“I could’ve gone straight to the Slayer, you know?” he pointed out.  “I cut you in, let you pretend you’re actually in charge . . . now you wait for Red’s permission to finish the deal?”  The vampire grinned inwardly as he noticed the reaction his words had invoked in the ex-Watcher.

“As soon as we see what’s on the disks,” Giles insisted.

At that moment, Willow had finally managed to access the disk, and opened it up to look at it.  Unfortunately, the file she’d opened didn’t seem to make too much sense, and the computer began to beep and squawk.

“It looks like gibberish,” Tara observed over Willow’s shoulder.

“Gibberish?”  Spike asked in surprise, turning his head towards the laptop.

“They're encrypted,” Willow explained.

“Oh, wonderful,” Giles said sarcastically, before stepping away from the bar and moving down the hall.

“Can you fix `em?”  Spike asked, taking a few steps towards Willow.

“Crack a government encryption code on my laptop?  Easy as really difficult pie,” Willow quipped, her voice dripping with sarcasm.  “Why?”

Spike sighed, deciding it was time to execute his plan.  “You’re not exactly the whiz these days either,” he pointed out.  “God, I’m never gonna get paid.”

“I am a whiz,” Willow defended herself, annoyed by the vamp’s remark.

“She is a whiz,” Tara confirmed, sticking up for her girlfriend.

“If every a whiz there was,” Willow continued.  “I-I just need some time.”

“No,” Spike interjected.  “I just heard you weren’t . . .”

Willow looked away from Spike and tapped the keyboard of her laptop—causing the file to stop beeping. 

“Your mates said you weren’t playing with computers so much,” Spike continued, pointing towards Tara.  “Into the new thing . . .”

“What new thing?”  Willow frowned in confusion.

“You know . . . you two,” Spike explained, doing his best to sound nonchalant.  “The whole Wicca thing . . .”

“They-they were talking about that?”  Willow asked, feeling as if all her fears about Buffy were coming to pass.  She should’ve known her best friend was freaked, that she wasn’t handling this well.

“Can we get back to business here?”  Spike asked—playing his card.  “I’ve got a deal at stake,” he reminded her.

Spike’s deal was the last thing Willow cared about at the moment.  “What did they say?” she asked him.

Spike made a point of sighing impatiently.  “Talking about, you know . . . it’s a phase . . . you’ll get over it.”

“What?”  Willow demanded, suddenly feeling a little queasy.  “Who said that?  Was it Buffy?”  She turned towards her girlfriend, needing to point out her previous observation.  “Coz . . . you know what she means by that . . .”

“No,” Spike interjected.  “She was defending you . . . coz Xander said you were just being trendy.”

“Trendy?”  Willow exclaimed, her queasiness reducing, only to be replaced with anger.  They think I’m being trendy?  How could they think that?  I love Tara . . . don’t they get that?

“I don’t know what they were going on about,” Spike continued, oh-so innocently.  “A person wants to be a witch, that’s their business.

Willow shook her head, upset that she’d been right about her friend.  “I knew Buffy was freaked,” she said softly.

“You should talk to her,” Tara suggested gently.  “Coz I’m sure she—”

“Pressing business ladies,” Spike interrupted, pointing towards the screen.  “Don’t want to get sidetracked,” he tapped the screen with his finger.  “Still got your monsters to fight.” 

***

A few hours later, Willow was still seething from Spike’s comments, furious with her best friends.  She hated the idea of Buffy and Xander talking about her; hated the fact that her relationship with Tara freaked them out—that they didn’t think she could actually love a woman . . . love Tara.  She’d thought more of her friends.  Sure, she’d expected them to be a little freaked . . . but for Xander to dismiss her relationship as just being trendy . . . well, that grated on her more than anything.  Who was Xander to talk?  At least she was in love . . . what were he and Anya . . . they were all about the sex . . . where was the love there? 

Anya and Xander had chosen a very inappropriate time to walk into Giles’ apartment—seeing as how Willow had just been thinking about how annoyed she was with Xander.  This is why she’d barely looked up from her laptop, practically ignoring him.  Although, Xander didn’t really seem to n