Family...Love...Magic

"My dance?"

Tara followed Willow onto the dance floor, as the day's events finally caught up with them. As Willow took the blonde into her arms, and began moving to the music, Tara's heart and mind were at an ultimate high. The woman before her had transformed her life completely. The shy mess of a little girl had been turned into a much-loved woman. Tara finally felt wanted…a part of something. The Scoobies had finally accepted her as one of their own, and along with Willow, had stood between her and her family. She had a new family now, and she owed it all to the beautiful redhead that held her in her arms.

"Good Birthday?" Willow questioned her as she set their rhythm to the soft music.

"Best Birthday." Tara wanted to scream the words out loud. How could she possibly say how wonderful the day had been?

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me about your family and all that." Willow didn't want to push her, but she had to know why she tried to hide things from her.

Tara knew the subject would come up sooner or later. She just didn't want to end the night with Willow upset at her. "I was just afraid if you saw the kind of people I came from…you wouldn't want to be anywhere near me."

"See…that's where you're a dummy." She didn't want to hurt Tara's feelings. Her father had done enough of that for the day. "I think about what you grew up with, and…then I look at what you are…it makes me proud." She had to tell her how much she meant to her. "It makes me love you more."

Tara was taken back by the statement, and had to fight back the tears fighting to come forth. "Every time I…(She closed her eyes, and thought – Damn it, Tara. You are not going to stutter) Even when I'm at my worst…you always make me feel special…How do you do that?"

"Magic." Willow stated simply with a smile, as she brought Tara into a tight embrace.

They held on to each other tightly, just enjoying the warm breath against one another's skin. Willow slowly rubbed Tara's lower back, letting her energy flow through her fingertips toward the blonde. Unknown to both of them, their feet were now dangling in the air a foot above the dance floor. They gently swayed in the air, completely oblivious to everyone but each other. Willow lifted her head off of Tara's shoulder, and from the tight embrace, to look into her deep blue eyes. Without a word, or a worry of who was watching, their lips met in a chaste kiss. Willow mouthed the words, 'I love you,' before their lips met once again. This time the kiss easily grew passionate.

The Scooby gang was winding down for the night. Anya and Xander were putting on their coats to take Dawn home. Buffy and Riley were following close behind them, when Xander stopped the group.

"Hey guys…should uhh…shouldn't one of us call them down?"

Buffy followed Xander's gaze, "Nah. I think they're on their own for the night, guys. They'll come down…eventually."

"Yeah, like tomorrow morning," Dawn giggled.

With that the group grabbed Tara's gifts, so she didn't have to worry about them later, and left the club.

Willow and Tara were on their own planet, one foot in the air.

Their passionate kiss had only been broken for a brief moment to let oxygen in. It had been one hell of a birthday for Tara that was for sure. She had never felt like she was one of the Scoobies before today. Now…she knew she belonged. The love she felt from each one of them that afternoon as they stood between her and her father was incredible. But nothing came close to the love that Willow had showed her that night. Tara had completely shunned the poor redhead out the whole day while dealing with her family…ha, her family. To Tara, the group that left in the RV earlier were no longer her family.

Willow broke the kiss, "Hmm…You do realize that we're floating, right?" She looked down at the floor three feet below them.

"What can I say…you swept me of my feet." Tara gave Willow a lopsided smile. She hugged her closer, as they slowly descended back to the ground. "Where did everyone go anyway?"

Willow began to kiss behind Tara's ear, "Who cares." She continued her kisses down her throat feeling the vibration of the blonde witch's moans. "You ready to get out of here? There's <kiss> just <kiss> more <kiss> presents waiting for you at my place." The last of her sentence was whispered in her ear before taking her lobe in her mouth and nibbling on it.

"Oooo…your place? Are you trying to seduce me Miss Rosenberg?"

"Yes I am…what ya going to do about it?" Willow stepped away for the first time, arching her eyebrow in question to Tara.

Tara's face went serious but passionate. "Take me home, baby. All I want tonight is you." She took Willow's hand and led her toward the exit.

They made it to the dorms fast, opting to take a taxi so that they didn't run into trouble walking home that late at night. It was hard not giving the taxi driver a free show on the way home, but for the life of them they couldn't keep their lips apart. As they approached the room, Tara pinned Willow against her dorm room door, kissing her so hard that the young redhead was finding it almost impossible to locate her keys. When she finally managed to take the keys from her pocket, they fell on the ground. Willow dismissed them for a moment, taking the opportunity of having both hands now, and putting them on either side of her girlfriends face, kissing her deeper. After a moment, Willow pulled them apart for air. Tara, however, continues to kiss and nibble down the slender throat before her.

Breathing heavily, and leaning onto the door for support, Willow said, "Before…we go in…there's just…a little something…I gotta do before you can come in." Tara groaned into Willow's neck, as she finally stepped away from her with a huge pout on her Face. "I swear, Baby, it'll only be a sec."

Willow quickly retrieved her keys and went into her dorm room, closing the door behind her. Tara pressed her ear to the door and heard a series of shuffling noises around the room. She giggled when she heard a small bang followed by a muffled curse from the redhead. Within moments, the door opened of it own accord, and Tara stepped into the room. She entered the dim candle lit room and was instantly greeted with the most awesome sight she had ever seen. Huge, beautiful sheets draped around the room making it appear like a giant tent, lit by candles through out. But on the bed was the piece de résistance. On the bed, dressed in a blue short-cut silk robe, tied together with a big red bow, was Willow. In her hand she held a small cupcake with a single candle in it.

"Happy Birthday, Baby." Without a coherent thought in her mind other than the image before her, Tara joined Willow on the bed.

"Hmm…an extra flamey candle, my favorite cupcake, and a gorgeous woman." Tara's eyes scanned the length of Willow's beautiful body, and met beautiful green eyes staring back at her. "I don't know what's more tempting…desert…or this desert." She gave Willow a wink as she reached for the end of the red ribbon around Willow's waist. Willow loved bedroom Tara. All her shyness and hesitation was replaced with sexiness and forwardness. "So is the cupcake, the room, and a very sexy you, my big birthday present for the night?" Tara pulled the ribbon, and let the robe open a bit. Under the robe, Willow wore a lacey royal blue bra that presented her breasts like a hidden treasure, with matching low cut silk undies.

Willow responded, "There are many yet to come…but for now."

Willow cupped Tara's cheek, making her tare her eyes away from tempting flesh to her eyes. Willow's expression, however, was very serious. "Baby? What is it?" Tara searched green eyes for any clues to what she was thinking.

"Do me a favor, will ya? Don't hide things from me anymore." She smiled at Tara to show that she was talking from the heart and not in anger. "There's nothing in this world that can make me love you any less."

"Goddess, I love you. No more secrets, I swear. I…I'm so sorry I shun you out like that... I should have just told you, but…"

"You were afraid, honey…I know." Willow stood and brought Tara up with her. "But you have to trust me when I say I love you no matter what. Even if you were a demon."

Tara giggled standing with Willow, "Even if every once in a while

I'd turn into a monster?"

"Hello? Dated a werewolf that had to be locked up once a month…I'm pretty sure you would have been cake compared to that."

Tara embraced her harder, "How did I ever get so lucky as to get a girl like you?"

"Well…you do have a gorgeous ass." Willow gave the said ass a squeeze, and faked pain when Tara swatted her arm. "And a beautiful smile to match your wit and wisdom."

"Nice save." Tara kissed her softly, returning her arms around Willow's neck.

"Well what about me? What made you decide to take a chance on little ol' me?"

"You." Tara said simply. "I think I knew I loved you when I first saw you…I was just lucky enough that you noticed me…" Her words were cut short by Willow's insistent lips. Tara could feel tears hitting their lips. They parted, still holding on tight to each other. Sniffing and clearing her throat, Tara said, "Willow, what's wrong? Why are you crying sweetheart?"

"No reason, baby, honestly. I just…I love you so much." Willow paused and took a moment to continue. "I remember that night that the Gentlemen came. When you came looking for me and we ended up locked in the laundry room…When you took my hand to move the soda machine…I felt something inside me click. I thought it was the magic, because I had never moved something that big before, but…now I know that it was never the magic…It was you. I felt the love and energy you sent me, and felt like I could do anything. Even move that huge pop machine. When we connected and did it together…it was such a rush."

Tara smiled at the memory, "I felt so buzzed and dizzy that my head was in the clouds for days." She admitted. With a more seductive voice, she added, "You were…" The blonde leaned in and ran her tongue along Willow's lips, "Hmm…instantly addicting." Her hands fell down to the red heads hips and pulled them toward her. "I love you baby. Thank you for a wonderful birthday…and thank you so, so much…for loving me."

"What can I say?" Willow's hands were gently squeezing Tara's ass, as her silk robe was pushed off her shoulders and dropped to the floor. "The pleasure's all mine."

"No…" Tara fell to her knees and reached for Willow's silk

undies, and slowly pulled them down. She remained on the floor and looked up into her lover's eyes, "But it will be."

She ran the back of her fingers on Willow's ass, and nuzzled her nose right above her love patch. With a gently placed kiss right below the redhead's belly button, she began a slow path up her body with her tongue. She continued up to her neck to her earlobe, than took it into her mouth. Willow went weak in the knees and almost fell back. Tara caught her instantly, knowing that that was her girl's weak spot. There lips met again, crushing against one and another. Tara's hands cupped Willow's breasts through the material of her bra. She then reached back and undid the bra, and pushed it off the shoulders supporting it. She stepped back, and pushed her naked girlfriend down on the edge of the bed. With a whispered chant, all the candles went out. Then, as if by a dimmer, the candles illuminated the small room slowly. When Willow's eyes focused again, Tara was standing in front of her completely naked.

"I thought I'd slip into my birthday suit for tonight's festivities." Tara jested playfully.

"Mmm…Now that's my favorite outfit."

Willow sat at the corner of the bed, and pulled Tara toward her so that she could kiss the soft skin of her belly. She rubbed her nose back and forth across her abdomen, tickling her skin. Tara's hands were moving through short red hair, as lips surrounded her right nipple. Willow's arms surrounded Tara's waist and pulled her around and onto the bed. She straddled one of the blonde's thighs, and let her feel the wetness that had been building up there all night. She left the nipple she was sucking, to kiss Tara deeply. Than began to push her center down on the blonde's leg in a steady rhythm. Willow sat up, grinding herself at a better angle and letting herself get closer to release.

Tara was mesmerized at the sight before her. Willow was riding her thigh for all its worth. With one long, hard, final thrust she felt Willow go. "Happy Birthday," Willow breathed out.

"Gods, Willow…you drive me insane." At Willow's pout, she added, "In a good way baby."

The pout was replaced with a smile, and then by Willow's faked innocent expression, "Oops…I got you all wet." She moved off of Tara's lap and knelt between her legs, "Guess I better clean you off then."

Willow licked every last drop of herself off of Tara's thigh, absolutely loving the taste of her own juices on her girlfriend's skin. When she was done cleaning her leg, she kissed up the inside of Tara's thigh until she reached her goal. Tara moaned out load as she felt a tongue reach her nether-lips. Willow ran her tongue from top to bottom, before pressing through and teasing Tara's clit.

Tara was on cloud nine. Although Willow was her first and only lover, she doubted that anyone could top the skilled and talented tongue between her legs. Willow always took her time, lapping and enjoying every drop she made come out of her lover. Tara felt a hand reach up and give her left nipple, then her right, a gentle squeeze. It only took a couple more flicks of her clit to send her straight over the edge. Willow held on tight and rode out Tara's release along with her own. She folded her arms across the blonde's abdomen, and wiped the juice off of her face with one finger. Then licking her finger clean, she said, "Hmmm…Enjoyed that, did you?" She couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her when she saw Tara look down at her cross-eyed, then collapse completely back on the bed.

"Oh Goddess, Yes."

"There's plenty more where that came from."

The lights dimmed down lower, and the two bodies on the bed never separated for the rest of the night.

Willow and Tara lay side by side, giggling on the floor at the end of the bed, with their feet up on top of it. Their tickle fight had resulted with falling on the ground in a mess of sheets.

"I'm hungry." Willow wined.

"Hmm…your bedroom antics didn't have snacks planned into them somewhere?" Tara had to tease Willow a little bit, knowing full well the long hours of planning she probably went through for her birthday.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." Willow crawled away from her place and toward the corner in the room that had the mini-fridge. Tara laughed at her, when the only thing showing of the redhead was her derrière. She came back out holding a bottle of water in one hand. In the other was a plate with some grapes, crackers, and little cheese squares. "Tada! Snacks A La Girlfriend!"

"Hmm…I much more prefer snacks ON the girlfriend, if you ask me." Tara flashed her a seductive grin, as she popped a cheese square into her mouth.

"Oh, Good grief…So us lying here in a tangled naked mess, with snacks, and the fact that it's now daylight out, still isn't enough?"

"Oh my…really? What time is it?"

"Does it matter?" Willow offered a grape to her girlfriend.

"No…No it doesn't." She ate the offered grape, and lay back down on the ground, stretching out her limbs. "Well another birthday come and gone. But this was the best birthday hands down."

"I love you, baby. I'm so glad to have you here with me…But

I'm sorry that you had to give up your family for…"

"Shhh…" Tara cut her off. "Baby, I didn't give up my family. I gained a new, much better, one." She was relieved to see her girlfriend smile.

"Well that's true…I know…allow me to tell you what this new family entails." Willow stood up and retrieved something from under the mattress, hiding it from view. "In officially joining the happy Slayer family you have now come into many things…For starters; you get a stuffy old Englishman, tweed and all."

"Mr. Giles." Tara stated the obvious.

Willow nodded and continued, "You get, on loan when needed…my best friend. He's as loyal as a puppy dog, and is the only man I'll ever love…"

"That better be Xander."

"Yes. And his baggage, I mean Anya."

"Behave, sweetheart…Anya's got her…attributes…as well."

Willow grinned and continued, "You also get the one, and only chosen one…The Slayer to watch your back…as she demonstrated today."

"Yes she did…But aren't you forgetting the most important member."

"Oh yeah, I forgot Dawn." Tara reached over and pinched her leg. "Let's see…you have a British father; a slightly younger brother; a thousand year old, soon to be sister-in-law; an over-protective sister/ bodyguard; a baby sister…what else could you possibly need." Willow crossed her arms and tapped her finger on her lips, pretending to think.

"Hmm…lets see…I wonder what could top all that." Tara was being sarcastic, but continued, "Willow as long as I have you…and I now know I am part of the group…that's all that matters."

"A wife…" Willow knelt down on both knees, next to Tara and revealed what she had hidden in her hands. She opened the tiny box. "You're missing a wife."

Tara felt tears escape her eyes, as she looked in the box and saw the most gorgeous ring she had ever seen. In the middle was a small unidentifiable stone that was cupped on either side by a tight-knitted design.

"It's white gold…Recognize the stone?" Tara could only shake her head 'no,' trying hard not to cry aloud. "Remember how upset I was when your mother's doll's eye crystal broke in the last earthquake…"

"Baby I told you it was ok. Only a small piece broke off, and went can still use…Ohh…" Tara looked closer at the tiny stone. "Is it really?"

Willow nodded, taking the ring out of the box. "Recognize the design of the knot? It's the same design on your mother's…"

"On my mother's spell book. Oh Willow!"

"Tara, I…" She took a deep breath, preparing to speak the words she had rehearsed a million times it seemed. "I never felt loved before…not really. My parents didn't really care about me as long as I behaved. I know the Scoobies love me, but in a buddy-love kinda way. And with Oz…It was the first time anyone had shown an interest in me, and I know he loved me…But I didn't love him the same way. There were too many secrets, and hidden feelings, and trust was never there." Willow's gaze fell from Tara.

"Willow?"

"Sorry…" She took a deep breath and looked back at blue eyes again. "It's just…I love you so much. You took me from a dark and lonely place and surrounded me in your love and your light…You're my everything, and that's why I want you in my life…for always." Willow handed Tara the ring. "Look in the

inside." On the inside of the ring, it read, 'My Light – For

Always.'

Tara held out her hand and let the ring be placed on her finger, and hugged the smaller woman. "Always, baby…Always."