Shooting Stars

by Leafsdude

Copyright © 2003

leafsfan99@rogers.com

Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't think Joss et al. is dumb enough to waste his time on some lowly creature having fun with his world that he so obviously messed up, so I'm not going to say anything to save me from that. However, because I respect the owners of the site, I'd just like to mention that I got a lot of the information for this chapter from www.buffyworld.com/. Thank you guys for your wonderful transcripts, even if the fight descriptions suck! :) The Ontario-born semi-country group Blue Rodeo owns Lost Together. Being Canadian, I'm sure they know that suing me would be pointless, seeing I have no money, but you can never be too careful!
Distribution: The Mystic Muse    http://mysticmuse.net
Anywhere, really. Just as long as I know where it is…
Feedback: Don't care if you review or not (hell, I know I only review the very best stories, and even then I might not), just as long as you enjoy the story.
Spoilers: Listening to Fear.
Pairing: Willow/Tara

Strange and beautiful are the stars tonight.

Walking up the last flight of stairs to the roof of the UCS campus, Willow couldn't help but gasp at the view from there.

Boy, aren't those stars beautiful, she thought to herself. Despite looking at them every night for the past 20 or so years of her life, she always felt breathless while looking at them.

Looking over at Tara, who had just joined her, she saw a similar response to the view. "This was a great idea." She decided.

"Well, we came up with it, didn't we?" Willow replied, remembering the way they both mentioned the idea at the same moment.

Looking into each other's eyes, both Willow and Tara decided that the only thing that compared to the view was each other.

I sound like a hopeless romantic, both thought to themselves. Looking at each other, they both grinned as they went to lie down for the evening with their pillows and sleeping bags.

As they got themselves comfortable, they stared at the sky, and felt the most satisfying peace envelop them.

"I love you, Willow." Tara said, as if it were second nature.

"I love you, Tara." Willow repeated.

"You know what's weird?" Willow spoke up quietly.

"Japanese commercials are weird." Tara joked.

"Yes. And also, you know some of the stars we're looking at…don't even exist any more? In the time that it takes for their light to reach us, they've died. Exploded…Poof," Willow rambled.

"Were, um ... were things rough at the hospital?" Tara concluded, looking at Willow.

All she received was a shrug and small pout. Rough is putting it mildly, thought Willow.

As Willow continued her babble, Tara thought back in time, while listening idly to her partner beside her. I still remember meeting everyone. I wondered why I didn't just run off like always, why I stayed for what was looking like another disaster. Guess it took some time to figure out, but I'm glad I didn't chicken out this time.

When she showed up at my dorm room that night, with the 'extra flamey' candle, and told me that she loved me, that was when I knew. I've heard it so many times since, and I still don't believe it, Tara continued to muse to herself. It's got to be a dream. I've been sleeping for years, and I don't want to wake up. If anyone tried to pinch me right now, I'm sure I'd end up punching them.

Tara smiled, as she noticed Willow point up to the stars and call out names that still continued to confuse her.

"There's 'Canis' Minor," Willow thought aloud. Canis Minor? What's a Canis? Tara thought. "And…and Cassiopeia." Cleopatra? Since when was a star named after her?

Smiling, Tara decided to point out one of her own. "And the Big Pineapple," Tara chuckled.

As Tara explained to Willow her own constellations, she subconsciously listened to Willow's even breathing, finding it soothing even after the length of time they'd spent together.

As Willow got up quickly, seeing the meteor about to hit the Earth, something clicked in Tara's brain. That makes sense. None of this makes sense, and that's the whole point. Tara told herself.

As they went along their way, continuing their life, and even into time afterwards, they still remained together, no matter how hopeless it seemed. And it still never made sense, and it still never had to. Tara and Willow always had each other, and that made everything simple.

The End