Safe Together by SpikeMe4Now

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. I don't wish to harm them, I simply want to borrow them and have a little bit of fun with them.

Author's Note: This is in response to the challenge I posted a few weeks ago. I thought it would be cool to remember how the Willow/Tara relationship first started. This is a series of behind-the-scenes stories that deal with the start of the Willow/Tara relationship. Each story can be read as a standalone.

Special thanks goes to Chris Cook of Through the Looking Glass and Artemis for creating the title graphic at the top of the page. Thanks, Chris!

Summary: Set after Goodbye Iowa, and before This Year's Girl. What happened between Willow and Tara during those three days.

Walking back to Tara's dorm, Willow thought about this morning's events. When she'd gone over to Xander's earlier that morning, she'd found out Buffy had already left; wanting to patrol for Adam a bit more. Luckily however, she'd managed to catch up with her as she was heading off to class. They'd talked for a bit, and she couldn't help feeling worried about her. She seemed to be taking the whole Riley thing pretty hard. Willow knew that if it was Tara who was sick and locked away, she'd probably feel just as bad, if not worse...the very thought of it sent a shiver of fear right down her spine. Willow didn't know what she'd do if any thing bad ever happened to Tara. The girl was coming to mean so much to her, and even though it scared her to admit it, she was well on her way to falling in love with her.

Looking up, Willow noticed she'd reached Tara's room. Just as she was about to knock, she remembered Tara wouldn't be back for at least another hour. The girl had one more class before she was free for the afternoon. Nervously, Willow opened the door. Even though Tara had said she could come right in, she still felt a little bit shy about it; yet it also thrilled her a little. It felt good to be able to walk into Tara's room as if she belonged there. It meant Tara trusted her, wanted her around...

As Willow walked in she dumped her books onto Tara's desk. She'd stopped by her own dorm this morning to get them before class, and now that she thought about it, she could've easily left them there as well. However, it seemed better to just come here; to hang out in Tara's room...wait for her friend to come back. Smiling at the thought, she sat down. Opening her notebook, she began going over her notes. She needed to get the schoolwork out of the way, before she could indulge herself in a little magick. Tara had given her free reign over her spell book collection, and she couldn't wait to have a look at it.

Half an hour later, Willow had finished highlighting her notes, and had completed all of her assigned work. Getting up, she walked towards Tara's bookcase and began perusing over her friend's collection. She noticed that Tara had quite a few books she'd never even heard of before, and also some books she had heard of, but hadn't been able to locate. She smiled when she spied a couple of books Giles had tried to keep hidden from her; thinking she wasn't ready for them yet. She suddenly felt like a kid in a candy shop; trying to decide which piece of candy to eat first. After a few minutes, she settled on the book she was reading the other day. They still hadn't done any transmutation spells, and she remembered seeing a few good ones in there. Taking the book, she walked over to Tara's armchair and made herself comfortable.

As Tara walked out of class, she had this huge grin on her face; unable to hide her good mood. Her relationship with Willow had greatly progressed over the past week; over the past few days really, and she was now almost certain that they were more than just friends. The way they'd curled up in bed together this morning had been incredibly intimate...her arm around Willow's waist; head on her shoulder, Willow's arms around her...holding her...caressing her...stroking her hair...kissing her cheek...

Tara sighed as she let the thoughts engulf her. It felt so good to actually have thoughts like this...memories of intimate moments shared with the girl she loved. As she neared her dorm, Tara couldn't help wondering when she would see her friend again. When she'd walked out of the room this morning, Willow had said she'd see her soon, and Tara was eager to know exactly how soon she meant.

After a moment, Tara finally reached her room. Opening the door, she felt a sudden wave of emotion hit her. Willow was sitting in her chair; legs curled up, spell book resting on her lap. She hadn't expected to see her this soon, but to see her now, and completely at home in her room...well that was almost too much for Tara. Blinking away the emotional tears, she made a point of closing the door behind her, letting Willow know she was back.

At the sound of the door closing, Willow looked up, a huge smile on her face. "Tara," she burst out.

Willow stood up, moving to put the spell book down on the bed. "How was class?" She asked.

"Good," she replied, letting her gaze meet Willow's. The girl was now only a couple of inches away from her, and with the memory of this morning's intimacy still fresh in her mind, it was all Tara could do to keep her breathing steady.

Willow smiled at Tara, noticing the effect her closeness was having on the girl. Impulsively, she leaned over and hugged her, needing to be closer to her. She wrapped her arms around her friend, enjoying the feel of Tara's body against hers. After a second, she felt Tara's arms reach around her, pulling them even closer together.

Willow could feel every inch of Tara's body as she held her tight; could feel Tara's breasts against her own...Closing her eyes, Willow indulged herself for only a brief moment, before pulling away. She knew their relationship had reached a new level, but she was still a little tentative about it. These feelings were all very new to her, and also kinda scary. She didn't want to move things too quickly; though she'd been unable to resist a quick show of affection.

"H..how was your day?" Tara asked, doing her best to steady her breathing. Being in Willow's arms, even for a brief moment, had left her feeling breathless. Her gaze still locked with Willow's, Tara gave her a huge smile before taking a seat on the bed.

"It wasn't too bad," she began, returning the girl's smile. "I talked to Buffy this morning, and she's still worried about Riley." Following Tara's lead, Willow moved to sit back down in the armchair.

"Just that they're taking care of him," Willow returned. "But you never really know..." She added as an afterthought.

Tara grinned, losing herself in Willow's eyes. She suddenly got this urge to walk over, take the girl in her arms, and join their lips together in a passionate kiss. She just sat there however, staring deeper and deeper into her friend's eyes.

"Um, what were you looking at?" She asked eventually, picking up the spell book. She needed to break the silence, to bring herself back to earth. She was afraid if she gazed at Willow a moment longer, she'd be tempted to actually act out her fantasies.

Smiling at the question, Willow stood up. "I found this great spell," she let out excitedly, taking a seat next to Tara. "Here," Willow continued as she grabbed the book from her. She smiled at her friend, before turning to flip through the pages. "It's a transmutation spell," she explained. "It's really cool." A few seconds later, she'd located the spell and was handing the book back to the blonde. She pointed out the section, and turned to watch as Tara looked over it.

Tara quickly read through the spell, eager to find out what Willow was so excited about. The spell was quite involved; changing water into snow, then snow into sand, and finally sand into glass. That would entail freezing, transmutation, and heating, and would take up a lot of their time and energy to execute properly. Tara was suddenly very excited about the spell; this was exactly the sort of challenge she'd been looking for, and she couldn't wait to get started. Putting the book down, Tara looked up at Willow enthusiastically.

"You're right," she began. "It is cool." She widened her smile, staring deeper into Willow's eyes. She was yet again finding it difficult to breathe; Willow was so close to her, not even an inch away, and her lips were so kissable...

Willow smiled back; lost in Tara's gaze. She'd been looking at her friend as she read over the spell, and she couldn't shake how adorable the girl was. The look on Tara's face while she'd been concentrating was amazing...her brow was furrowed at first, then as she took in the spell, her expression had changed; become brighter. Willow just loved watching the play of emotions on Tara's face, it made her heart beat faster, her knees feel weak, and brought this intense sliver of desire right down to her center.

"Yeah," Tara agreed, her own breathing becoming labored. "But I..I don't think I have m..most of 'em."

"That's cool," Willow replied. "We can just go to the magic shop ." Her smile widening, she impulsively reached for Tara's hand. "We can get some lunch on the way." With those words Willow stood up, pulling Tara along with her. "What do you say?" She asked.

Tara smiled at Willow. "Okay," she agreed, her heart pounding at their proximity.

Smiling back, Willow squeezed Tara's hand. "Great." She then reached over and grabbed the spell book off the bed, all the while not letting go of her friend. Looking back at Tara, Willow smiled as she dragged them both out the door.

The two girls walked hand in hand to the student cafe, both feeling a little giddy. They couldn't wait to join their energy together; recalling that every time they did so, the connection between them got stronger and stronger. The fact that they were holding hands, was also not lost on either girl. They both had a huge grin on their face, and were finding it difficult to speak. Every now and then they'd steal a quick glance at each other, before giggling nervously and quickly looking away.

As they neared the cafe, Willow couldn't believe how happy she felt. The whole time, she could feel her heart racing, could feel the butterflies in her stomach, and her mind going blank. Normally, she had a million different thoughts going on inside her head, but being this close to Tara had turned her brain into mush. All she could think about was how good it felt to hold Tara's hand, to walk with her to lunch, and basically just to be near her. She couldn't even speak properly; every time she'd looked over at Tara to say something, her tongue had frozen and she'd burst into giggles. She felt like a kid again, all nervous, giddy, and completely happy.

Tara felt much the same way; what with the giggling, the butterflies, and the way her mind refused to think about anything other than Willow. She still couldn't believe how much their relationship had progressed...to be walking along, holding hands with Willow...well, that was something she'd never thought would happen. No one else might be able to see it, but this gesture of affection showed Tara exactly how close they'd gotten, and it gave her hope that things would only get better from here...

Tara smiled at her friend, turning to meet her gaze. "Yeah," she replied, letting go of Willow's hand. As they grabbed their trays, Tara suddenly realized something. "Willow," she began softly.

"I uh...just r..r..remembered I..I left my w..w..wallet back in my r..room." Tara hated the way she stuttered when she was embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it." Willow widened her smile, finding Tara's stuttering adorable. She suddenly felt like leaning over and hugging the girl; calming her down. Instead, she handed her the spell book, then reached out and put Tara's tray back on the stack. "We'll just use my dining card," she offered.

Seeing this, Willow was quick to interrupt. Once again, she took Tara by the hand. "Don't worry about it," she repeated with a smile. Squeezing her hand, she pulled them to the back of the line. "They only deduct one meal anyway," she reminded her. "No matter how much we take."

Willow smiled back. "Absolutely," she reassured, suddenly feeling flirtatious. She looked meaningfully into Tara's eyes, a smirk on her lips. "Besides, it's more fun to share."

Tara felt her breath catch at Willow's words; realizing the girl was flirting with her. She met her friend's gaze, smiling shyly. "Okay," she managed to breathe out.

Willow took in Tara's reaction, feeling pleased. She didn't know why, but Tara was the first person she'd ever met who brought out her flirtatious side. She'd never felt this comfortable flirting with anyone else, not even with Oz. Once again feeling giddy, Willow looked over at Tara and giggled. She was pleased when the girl smiled back, and burst into giggles of her own. It was comforting to know that Tara was feeling just as nervous about their relationship as she was, and that it was having the same effect on her.

"Sure," Tara replied, letting go of Willow's hand. She reached over and grabbed an apple.

Willow grabbed one as well and placed it in her pocket. "Just take what you like," Willow invited, smiling at her friend.

A few minutes later, Willow was holding a full tray, and taking back her card. Willow smiled as she turned to face Tara. "Lets find a seat."

Tara nodded, her grin widening. She couldn't believe how nervous she felt as they walked towards an empty table. "Will this do?" She asked Willow.

Tara sat down at the table, placing the spell book beside her. She smiled up at Willow as she joined her. "Thanks for lunch."

"No problem," Willow replied, reaching for a sandwich. She unwrapped it and handed half to Tara. "Here."

The two girl's sat there in silence, suddenly very shy. The new closeness between them was making them feel extremely nervous around each other. They both wanted to discuss what was happening between them, but neither one had the courage to bring it up.

As Willow devoured her sandwich, she kept stealing glances at Tara. Just before every bite, she attempted to broach the subject, then decided against it. She wanted to ask Tara what she thought about their rapidly developing relationship, about where she thought it was heading, but the words just wouldn't come out. She knew they were more than friends, that much was obvious by now. However, her confusion lay in how she was expected to act. She had no idea what actions were appropriate and which weren't. Was it okay to hug Tara whenever she felt like it...to kiss her cheek...hold her hand...or was it still too soon for that much closeness? She knew Tara enjoyed her touch, she'd noticed the way she always reacted, but that didn't mean she had the right to touch her at any time...did it? Also, Willow wanted to let Tara know that if she ever wanted to initiate contact; that it was okay for her to do so, that she wouldn't be rejected. But how do you go about telling that to someone?

Tara was having the same difficulty, her thoughts pretty much following the same line as Willow's; pondering the meaning of their relationship. She wanted desperately to know what was going on, what it all meant, how she was expected to behave, but she'd never be able to ask. Trying to block the thoughts from her mind, she decided to focus on the sandwich in front of her, eating it slowly so as to avoid meeting her friend's gaze. She was afraid if she looked up, her emotional state would be plastered all over her face, and she didn't want to make Willow feel uncomfortable.

Finishing her sandwich, Willow stole yet another glance at Tara. She noticed her friend was also polishing off the last of her food. Smiling, she unwrapped another sandwich and offered half to Tara. "Have another."

Tara looked up tentatively as Willow spoke. She smiled shyly as she took the sandwich, her breath catching as her thumb brushed against Willow's. The all too familiar spark of electricity once again coursed through both of their bodies. Tara quickly moved her gaze down to the sandwich, bringing it up to her mouth.

Willow smiled as she followed Tara's lead. She made quick work of her own sandwich, practically wolfing it down. Once she'd finished, she brought her gaze back up to her friend. She noticed Tara was now reaching out for some fries. Smiling, she did the same. As she ate, Willow tried not to look at her friend too much; recalling how aroused she'd gotten last night, watching Tara eat pizza...Forcing the thought out of her mind, Willow scanned the crowd.

Once the fries were finished, Tara started work on her apple. They'd gone the entire meal without conversation, being too shy and too nervous to say what was on their minds. It was Willow who eventually broke the silence.

"Guy?" Tara interrupted. Her heart lurched at the turn of the conversation. Why was Willow looking at a guy?

"He's been staring at you for the past five minutes. " Willow explained. "I think he's checking you out," she smirked at the thought.

Tara giggled, realizing Willow was just teasing her; attempting to lighten the mood. "Sure."

"I'm serious," Willow insisted. She smiled at her friend's reaction, finding it adorable. "And don't look now, but I think he's coming over here."

Willow watched in surprise when she saw Tara lift up her hand. Why was Tara waving at this guy? Why was this guy coming over here? Did he know Tara? Who was he? And how dare he interrupt her time with Tara? Willow suddenly felt very possessive. She didn't like the idea of sharing Tara with anyone, she wanted her all to herself...Realizing how that sounded, Willow forced a smile to her lips.

"Hello," Willow let out, not liking the way this guy was looking at Tara. "I'm Willow." She extended her hand, bringing the guy's attention away from Tara.

"Tyrone," the guy responded. He shook Willow's hand briefly before turning back to Tara. "So...you gonna be in study group tomorrow?"

Willow looked at the guy critically, noticing how nervous he seemed. He was definitely interested in Tara, and Willow didn't like that idea at all. Looking over at Tara however, she relaxed. The girl was calmly eating her apple, completely oblivious to the fact this guy was scoping her out.

"Cool," The guy responded nervously. "Well...if you uh...ever need any more help with math..."

"Yeah," Willow returned politely, still feeling disgruntled by his interruption. She wasn't jealous exactly, 'cause she knew Tara was gay and in no way interested in this guy. However, the very thought of someone checking out Tara, made Willow feel strangely possessive.

"Wow," Willow began, deciding humor was her best course of action. "That poor guy."

"Didn't you notice?" She asked. "He was totally interested in you." Willow smiled at her friend.

Willow's grin widened, enjoying Tara's reaction. "Of course he was," she insisted. "I know that look."

"What look?" Tara giggled, placing the apple core on the tray. Looking up, she felt her breath catch as Willow's expression changed. Her friend was now looking at her intensely; a glint in her eye.

Willow leaned in towards Tara, an idea forming in her mind. "You know the look..." she whispered huskily.

"No," Tara whispered back, her gaze locked with Willow's. There was a sudden electricity in the air, and she could feel her heart pounding. Unconsciously, she mirrored Willow's actions and leaned slightly forward.

Willow found it very difficult to breathe as she gathered her courage. She knew what she had to say, but actually getting the words out were another matter.

"The look, " she began nervously. "That says...you're special..." She paused, taking another breath. "More than just a friend..."

"Oh," Tara replied, her heart racing. Did Willow mean. . ? The subtext of their conversation suddenly became clear. "That look..."

"Yeah," Willow smiled nervously. She knew Tara understood what she meant, and was now eagerly awaiting her response.

"I am?" Willow couldn't tear her eyes away from Tara as she tried to control her breathing.

Bracing herself, Tara moved even closer towards Willow, and forced the words out of her mouth. "I..I do know that look..."

At Tara's words, Willow felt like the whole world was dissolving around her, and that no one else existed but the two of them. She'd never wanted to kiss Tara this badly before, and if they weren't in public, she probably would've bridged the miniscule gap between them, and succumbed to her desire. Tara's face was so close to hers, not even an inch away. As they'd been talking, they had unconsciously moved towards each other, and were now so close that Willow could feel Tara's breath mingling with hers.

Tara was having the same problem as Willow; she wanted desperately to kiss her friend, especially after what had just been revealed. She realized that if they'd been alone, this would've been the perfect moment for a first kiss...In fact, if she kept staring into Willow's eyes any longer, she might actually give in, despite common sense. She could feel Willow's breath against her lips, could smell her scent; apples and strawberries...and it was driving her insane...

Willow was the first to speak. She knew that things had once again changed between them, but now was neither the time nor the place to explore their emotions.

"So," she began lightly, bringing Tara out of her stupor. "You ready to head off?"

"Great," Willow replied, smiling at Tara. She then stood up and grabbed the tray. "Wait here."

It took Willow only a moment to dump their rubbish in a nearby bin, and return the tray. When she got back to their table, she held a hand out towards Tara. The girl reached for it instantly, and Willow smiled at Tara as she pulled her up. With her free hand, she picked up the spell book.

The two witches just stood there; transfixed, as they gazed into each other's eyes. After a moment, they burst into giggles before looking away. Still holding hands, they walked out of the student cafe, and headed outside.

Making their way towards the magic shop, the girls were once again feeling giddy as the butterflies set in. Now that the moment had passed, their mutual revelation was finally beginning to sink in. Even though they hadn't gone right out and said so, they both knew what the other had implied...

When they reached Sunnydale's main street, Willow finally broke the silence. "I can't wait to do the spell."

"Me neither," Willow replied, suddenly remembering something. "Unless you count that gypsy curse..."

Willow smiled, realizing she needed to explain. "It was the first major spell I've ever done," she began.

"Remember how I mentioned that Buffy once dated a vampire with a soul?" Willow asked.

"Well, things between Buffy and Angel got a little complicated..." Willow explained.

Willow smiled at Tara before explaining. "As it turned out, Angel's soul wasn't exactly permanent."

"Not quite." Willow responded. "Angel had a soul because the gypsies cursed him, they wanted him to feel the pain and guilt of all the suffering he'd inflicted on people. However, the instant Angel achieved even one moment of true happiness, his soul would be taken away from him."

Tara suddenly realized what Willow meant. "Oh," she responded, blushing slightly.

"Yeah," Willow began. "He started stalking Buffy, obsessing over her, killing people, in fact he even tried to destroy the world."

Tara noticed Willow didn't sound too pleased. "That's good right?" She asked in confusion.

"In a way," Willow began, moving into babble mode. "You see, Miss Calander—one of the people Angel killed, well her family were the ones who had cursed him in the first place, and now that he was evil again, Miss Calander had been researching a spell and figured out a way to restore Angel's soul. Unfortunately Angel killed her before she could tell anyone about it, however me and Buffy found it, and so we decided to do the spell. Just as we started it, we were attacked and I ended up in hospital. I still wanted to do the spell though, since Angel was trying to destroy the world, and if we could bring his soul back, then we could stop him. That's why I tried the spell again with Cordelia and Oz, and during the incantation, I felt this huge power surge right through me, and that's when I figured it'd worked."

"Unfortunately," Willow explained. "Angel had already opened a portal to hell, and the only way to close it was to kill him. So even though he wasn't evil anymore, Buffy had to let him go..."

Willow looked at her friend affectionately. "But don't worry," she reassured. "He came back a few months later..."

Willow squeezed Tara's hand as she explained. "He'd been in some sort of hell dimension, and for some reason the Powers That Be decided to return him to earth."

"Yeah," Willow replied. "At first he was all wild and stuff, and Buffy looked after him, didn't tell anyone he was back, but after a while everything came out, and eventually he was one of the Scoobies again."

"But w...what happened?" Tara asked, suddenly remembering Riley. "Why aren't they together now?"

They stopped walking as they reached the entrance to the magic shop. "It's a long story," Willow explained. "To cut it short, Angel decided to leave after graduation—for Buffy's own good, since he figured she was better off without him, and he now runs his own business in LA, where he helps out the helpless."

"If it wasn't for that spell," Willow began. "I don't think I'd be as adept at the magicks as I am now..."

"Well," Willow explained. "When I felt the power surge through me, I kinda felt myself change a bit."

"Yeah," Willow let out. "I've never told this to anyone else," she confided. "But it was like I'd awakened this energy inside me, and it made me feel...something I've never felt before..."

"You're a natural w...witch," Tara explained. She looked deeply into Willow's eyes. "You have a lot of potential...you just n..need a little help finding it."

Willow gazed into Tara's eyes, entranced by her words. Tara was looking at her so intently, that she could feel her knees going week. "I guess I'm lucky I've got you then." She let out flirtatiously.

Tara's smile widened, and she let go of Willow's hand, in order to slowly pull her into a hug. She tightened her arms around the girl, bringing their bodies together. She could feel Willow's arms reaching around her as well, which only caused her to tighten her grip. Suddenly realizing they were in public, Tara slowly pulled away. She didn't know what had come over her. Looking shyly at Willow, she gave the girl a sweet smile.

Willow smiled back, pleased by her reaction. She'd been somewhat surprised when Tara had reached out and hugged her, but had instantly responded. She could tell the girl was feeling a little embarrassed about her behavior, but Willow couldn't help but be thrilled. She loved it when Tara initiated contact between them, it made her feel all tingly.

As the two girls stepped inside, the shopkeeper greeted them. "Hello Tara...Willow." The girl said.

"Hey," the girls replied together. Willow glanced over at Tara, feeling surprised. She just realized that her friend must also be a regular here.

"Yeah," Willow replied. She smiled at Tara, and gently squeezed her hand. "We need some spell ingredients," she explained, turning her attention back towards the shopkeeper.

"Yeah, it's a tricky one." Willow let go of Tara's hand, as she opened up the spell book. After a moment, she found the spell they were going to do. "Here's what we need." She handed the book to the girl, and pointed out the section.

The girl read through it, her eyes widening. "It's highly advanced," she let out.

The shopkeeper looked at the two budding witches and smiled. "I'll see what I can do." With those words, she walked off to locate the ingredients.

Once they were alone, Willow turned towards Tara. "I didn't know you came here a lot," she smiled.

"I'm surprised I haven't seen you before," Willow continued. "Considering I practically live here."

Just as Tara was about to respond, the shopkeeper came back with all their ingredients. "Here you go girls," she let out.

"Thanks," Willow replied, reaching for her wallet. She quickly paid for the items, before saying goodbye.

Once they were out of the shop, Willow turned her attention back to Tara. "So," she began. "What do you mean you've seen me before?"

Tara smiled at Willow shyly as they continued walking. She was suddenly very embarrassed. "Well," she began. "I kinda noticed you in here a few times..."

Taking a deep breath, Tara continued. "Yeah...It's actually why I uh...j..joined Wicca group," she admitted.

Willow's heart skipped a beat at the thought. "What do you mean?" She smiled warmly at the girl.

"At the start of the year," Tara explained. "I was g...getting some stuff for a spell, when I heard you t...talking to the shopkeeper."

Willow widened her smile, trying to put the girl at ease. She was becoming intrigued with the turn of the conversation.

Smiling back, Tara continued. "You were saying how you just started college, and couldn't w..wait to join Wicca group." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I paid attention because I missed having someone to do magicks with, and hearing you talk about Wicca group...it made me think you might be a r...real witch. "

Tara smiled at Willow and nodded shyly. "I was too shy to actually t...talk to you, and if you weren't really a w...witch..."

"After a few meetings, I almost gave up," Tara continued. "Even the other girls in the group hadn't s..said anything..."

"Yeah," Tara agreed. "But when you mentioned c...conjuring and transmutation..."

"I remember," Willow interrupted. "I saw you look up a few times. It seemed like you wanted to say something..."

Willow returned the smile and squeezed Tara's hand. "And their attitude wasn't helping either..."

"Yeah." Tara squeezed Willow's hand, enjoying her response. She glanced over at the girl, and gave her a huge smile.

Willow smiled back, before nervously looking away. She began giggling, suddenly feeling very giddy. Tara followed Willow's lead, and the two girl's looked at each other again, giggling like children. Feeling extremely happy, they walked the rest of the way back to Tara's dorm in silence; giggling occasionally and stealing shy glances at one another.

Upon entering Tara's room, Willow placed the bag on Tara's bed. "So," she smiled at Tara. "Wanna start setting up the spell?"

With those words, Willow opened the bag. "We'll need a mortar and pestle to mix up the ingredients with." She looked over at Tara. "I can go and grab mine if you like."

Willow smiled, eager to begin. "Great, I'll read out the instructions, and you can mix the potion. "

"Okay," Tara agreed, suddenly remembering something. "Don't we need three different potions though?"

"Cool," Willow grinned. "I'll tell you what you need to put into each of them, and then we can prepare the rest."

While Tara grabbed the bowls, Willow opened the spell book. She sat down on the bed and watched as Tara sat down on the floor, spreading the bags of herbs and stuff around her. She then began reading out the instructions, as Tara mixed the ingredients. Half an hour later, the three potions were mixed, and ready to use.

The two girls spread Tara's candles strategically around the room, forming a large circle. They then went about lighting every one of them, bathing the room in candlelight. Once that was done, Tara placed a special cloth in the center of the lit candles. She then used some white sand to drew a small circle on it, and then draw a pentagram inside the circle.

A minute later, Willow was back. She walked towards Tara and handed her the bowl of water. "Here."

Tara smiled as she accepted the bowl. "Thanks." She placed it in the center of the pentagram, then looked up at Willow, eager to start. "Ready?"

"I think so..." Tara frowned, not completely sure. She'd only glanced at them briefly.

Seeing this, Willow smiled and grabbed the book. "Here," she offered it to Tara. "You can go over 'em one more time if you like."

"Thanks." Tara smiled as she accepted the book. A few minutes later, she was feeling confident enough to go on.

While Tara had been reading, Willow had found it extremely difficult to tear her eyes away. She always enjoyed looking at the girl while she concentrated; not only did she find her completely adorable, but extremely sexy as well...

"Cool," Willow replied, taking the book from her. She placed it on the desk, before moving towards Tara.

The two girls kicked off their shoes, before sitting down cross-legged on the floor. The bowl of water lay between them, and the three potions were next to them for easy access. They were now ready to begin the spell. Impulsively, Willow leaned over and placed a soft kiss against Tara's cheek.

"For good luck," Willow explained, blushing as she moved away. She didn't know why she'd just done that, but noticing Tara's reaction, Willow was glad she'd succumbed.

Being kissed by Willow had left Tara feeling all flushed. She would never stop enjoying the feel of the girl's lips against her skin, even if it only lasted a second. There was this strange electricity around them, and even the simplest touch could cause the need inside her to become unbearable. Feeling suddenly brave, Tara decided to follow Willow's example. Gathering up all her courage, she leaned over and brushed her own lips against Willow's cheek. She let the kiss last just a little longer than Willow's, unable to resist the allure of her friend's softness.

"Good luck," Tara returned as she sat back. Giving her friend a huge smile, she held out her hands. "Ready?"

Willow could only nod, doing her best to control her breathing. She hadn't expected Tara to return the kiss, and the sensation of the girl's lips on her skin had caught her off guard. Why was it that even the briefest contact between them always caused her brain to stop functioning? Forcing her hormones to behave, Willow smiled at the girl as she reached out for her. When she linked their hands together, Willow could not contain the sexual charge that shot straight down to her center.

Releasing their energy, the young witches began the first incantation. The connection between these girls was so strong now, that as they merged their energy, it was as if they had become one person. They were so connected to each other, that they were now working as one; using the one voice to call upon the Spirit they needed. After a moment, they could feel the Spirit's presence in the room.

Opening their eyes, the two girls smiled at each other, reaching simultaneously for the first bowl. They grabbed it together; holding one side each as they poured the potion into the bowl of water. Placing the empty bowl beside them, they brought their unlinked hands back together. As they closed their eyes again, they extended their energy towards the water, invoking the help of the unseen Spirit.

Still working as one, they began reciting the next part of the incantation. They could feel their energy being released, as the Spirit used it to freeze the water. The two girls were being drained, but still they continued; drawing strength from one another. After a few minutes, they could feel the strain lessening; could feel the Spirit leaving the room. Opening their eyes, they looked down at the bowl, pleased to see it was now filled with snow.

The girls smiled at each other in elation. The first part of the spell had worked, now came the next part; the transmutation. Nodding in silent agreement, the girls closed their eyes as they once again joined their energy together. With one will, the witches began the incantation, calling upon a second Spirit. They channeled all their energy into each other, focusing their will jointly. A moment later, they could feel the presence of the new Spirit.

Opening their eyes, the girls reached for the second bowl. They grabbed it together, pouring the powder over the snow. Setting it back down, they rejoined their hands, closed their eyes, and began the next part of the incantation. As they chanted, they could feel their energy being used to manipulate the snow...to change it's form...it's texture...and turn it into sand. The new Spirit was draining their energy even harder than the first, drawing out all their power.

They kept chanting however, determined to make the spell work. They knew if they had been doing the spell alone, they'd have long since collapsed from exertion. However, the very fact that they were together...joined as one; brought out all their reserved strength, making them ten times stronger than they would've been alone. A few minutes later, the girls were almost limp with exhaustion, when the Spirit finally left the room. The two witches opened their eyes slowly, smiling at each other before looking down at the ground. They were both pleased to see the sand in the bowl. They squeezed each other's hands, thrilled by their success.

Smiling with excitement, the witches turned their focus back to the spell. It was now time to summon the final Spirit, and turn this sand into glass. Closing their eyes, the girls began the incantation. They were now feeling completely exhausted, but where determined to see the spell through to the end. As they chanted, the girls yet again drew strength from one another, motivating themselves to keep going.

Once the Spirit had finally appeared, the girls opened their eyes again. They reached for the final potion together, pouring it over the sand. Placing the bowl down, they turned to look at each other. Now was the time to decide what shape to form the glass. They looked at each other for a brief moment, before simultaneously whispering the word "Star."

Smiling at their like-mindedness, the young witches relinked their hands, and closed their eyes. This was the hardest part of the spell. Not only did they have to provide extreme heat, but once the sand had changed, they only had a brief moment to form the shape of a star, before the glass cooled. Gaining support from each other, the girls began the final incantation. They linked their energy so completely this time, that they could almost feel the other's emotions. The sexual charge that existed between them, seemed to be adding another element to their power, making them stronger...more focused. They could feel each other's need...their desire...as well as excitement over the spell. Giving in to these emotions, the girls used all their strength to release their energy.

They could feel the Spirit using their power, guiding it towards the sand...heating it. Once again the girls were being drained, only this time it was more intense. They had never expended this much of their energy before, and it was all they could do to remain upright. However, using each other for strength, they soldiered on. After a while, the girls knew it was time; as of one mind, they began forming the image of the star in their mind, focusing not only their energy, but their will as well. The Spirit used this, directed it towards the glass; molding it...shaping it...Their strength was waning, and they didn't know how much longer they could keep up the chanting and remain focused on their goal. Just as they were about to collapse, the girls felt the strain lessening, could feel their energy returning, and the Spirit leaving the room.

The two witches opened their eyes, their bodies drenched in sweat. They were both breathing heavily, exhausted by the spell. Smiling at each other, they slowly looked down, eager to see the results. As their gazes fell to the floor, the two witches froze in surprise. Their spell had worked, but before them, lay not one, but two, perfectly formed stars.

"Yeah," Tara replied, her own breathing labored. Like Willow, she was totally exhausted after the spell.

Looking at Tara, Willow let her emotions take over. The spell they'd just done had brought them even closer to one another, in fact, Willow could still remember feeling the girl's emotions as their energy had merged. She suddenly wanted to feel Tara against her, to hold her close and show her how happy she was. On impulse, Willow unlinked their hands, pushed the bowl aside, and leaned in towards Tara. Her hands reached out to enfold the girl in her arms, but exhaustion set in. Willow lost her balance, pushing the both of them down to the floor. As they fell, the girls began to giggle, amused by their situation. Once they'd reached the floor however, the giggling stopped as their closeness began to sink in.

When she'd lost her balance, Tara had instinctively put her arms around Willow, cushioning her fall. She was now lying on her back, her legs hooked around the outside of Willow's thighs, and her hands spread against the girl's back. Willow's hands rested on Tara's shoulders, while her face nuzzled her neck. Tara was supporting all of Willow's weight, but she welcomed it; the girl was so light, and her body felt so good against hers...

Willow took a moment to process the situation. Here she was, lying on top of Tara, her face buried in her friend's neck, and the girl's breasts crushed beneath hers, while her legs rested in between Tara's thighs. She could feel every inch of Tara, and it was the most erotic experience of her life. She'd never felt this aroused before, her heart was pounding, her mind was blank, and she could feel the wetness between her legs, as the throbbing sensation intensified, becoming almost unbearable. She wanted to move, but her body wasn't responding. She was so worn out from the spell, she couldn't even lift her head up.

She felt like her whole body was on fire. To be holding Willow so close, to feel the movement of the girl's lips on her skin, to enjoy the sensation of her friend pressed tightly against her, crushing her breasts...well that was more than any sane person could ignore. She could also feel Willow's heart beating; racing just like hers. Unable to deny her need, Tara reached up and started stroking her friend's hair, before moving down towards Willow's back. She began caressing the girl gently, moving her hands alternately through Willow's hair, then against her back.

Willow sighed as she felt the movement of Tara's hands. Her breathing became even more labored as she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of being in Tara's arms. The girl's hands were like magick against her, emitting a spark of residual energy, apparently left over from their spell. She began to feel some of her strength returning, as her friend continued to caress her. Feeling stronger now, Willow slowly lifted her head up, moving her hands from Tara's shoulders to rest her arms on the floor; supporting her own weight somewhat. The movement against her back slowed, but didn't stop. As she opened her eyes, Willow found herself staring directly into Tara's sea-blue gaze. Tara's eyes were slightly dilated, and she could feel her heart racing against her own, could feel the girl's breath on her lips, and could see her own need and desire clearly mirrored in her friend's face.

Of their own accord, Tara's hands moved slowly up Willow's back, through her hair, before sliding around to the girl's face. She rested her fingers against Willow's neck as she cupped her face, her thumbs moving against her friend's cheeks. Tara could not stop herself from enjoying the feel of Willow's skin. Her face was so soft as she caressed it, sending a spark of desire down both their bodies. Tara could see Willow's reaction as she continued to caress her, making her bolder. Willow's breath was coming in gasps now, her eyes were half closed, and her lips had parted slightly. Still caressing her cheeks, Tara brought Willow's forehead down to her lips. She pressed her mouth against the girl's skin, her thumbs momentarily ceasing their caress. Closing her eyes, Tara immersed herself in the sensation of kissing Willow. The heat and energy emanating from the girl, caused Tara's lips to tingle as they lingered on her friend's forehead.

When Tara's lips eventually left her skin, Willow felt herself start to shiver. As Tara had kissed her, she'd felt their energy once again merging together, emitting the highly potent sexual spark she was now all too familiar with. She was shivering now; not only from arousal, but from fear as well. As the kiss had ended, Willow knew she wanted more, and that this time she might not be able to stop herself. Her eyes drifted down towards Tara's lips, and her head began to move slowly downwards.

The two girls lay on the floor, their lips almost touching, but neither could bring themselves to actually go through with the kiss. They were both quaking in fear now, terrified of their first kiss. They wanted it to happen so badly, but neither were quite ready for it. As they quivered in each other's arms, the young witches began to see the truth of the matter. Even though they both wanted it, now was not the right time. The spell they'd performed had worn them out, merged them together, and inadvertently brought them into a position that was as of yet premature. When they kissed for the first time, it couldn't be because they were exhausted, thrust intimately together, or buzzed because of a spell. It had to be because they were both ready to accept what they meant to each other, and finally cross the friendship boundary in their relationship. They both knew they were more than friends, but to physically cross that line was another matter.

Smiling at the realization, the two girls kissed...not lips, but cheeks. They bridged the final gap between them, placing their lips against the other's cheek, reassuring themselves that this was where they wanted to be. They felt the desire coursing through their bodies, but instead of ignoring it, they closed their eyes and immersed themselves in the sensation. After a few seconds, they finally parted, only to descend down again, this time towards their friend's other cheek. Once again they reveled in the tingling sensation of lip to skin contact.

When they parted for a second time, Willow sighed as she moved her head to once again rest against Tara's neck. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of being held by her friend. She never wanted to leave the girl's arms, especially as the exhaustion began to settle in. Moving her hands back up to Tara's shoulders, Willow sighed again as sleep beckoned. She could feel Tara's chest moving below hers, breathing in and out. Unconsciously, Willow's breathing changed to counteract her friend's...breathing out when Tara breathed in, moving up and down together...kind of like a dance...

As she felt herself drifting off, Tara realized she needed to do something. They couldn't just fall asleep on the floor, they'd be completely stiff when they woke up. However, the feel of Willow's body against hers was just too good to let go of...Forcing herself to think straight, Tara moved her hands up to Willow's shoulders, lifting her up slightly.

"Mmmm?" Willow enquired sleepily, her eyes still closed. She was so tired now that she couldn't even bring herself to speak properly.

"Mmmm," Willow agreed. She opened her eyes slightly, barely registering Tara's words.

Tara smiled as she realized Willow was in no state to move. Forcing herself to a sitting position, Tara hooked her arms under Willow's and dragged them both up. The bed was less than a foot away, but suddenly the distance seemed like a mile. The two girls were now leaning against one another, supporting their weight. Gathering their strength, they slowly pushed away from each other, so that they were now standing on their own. Smiling at the accomplishment, they forced their legs to move, actually making two steps before collapsing. Luckily the bed was close enough to break their fall. Exhausted, the young witches slowly inched their way to the head of the bed.

Tara lay on her back, while Willow snuggled up to her. Willow rested her head on the girl's chest; just under her chin, while her hand found a home around Tara's waist. Somehow, one of Willow's legs had made its way in between Tara's, but the girl was now too tired to even notice. Her breathing had already become steady, as she rapidly drifted off to sleep. Smiling, Tara wrapped her arms around Willow, as she too succumbed to sleep.

Hours later, Willow was the first one to wake up. As consciousness returned, the first thing Willow noticed was her arousal. She was incredibly wet, her need was insatiable, and her nipples were so stiff they were almost sore. She couldn't ignore the fact that one of her legs rested between Tara's, and that she was practically straddling the girl's thigh. Not to mention, that her head rested only inches away from Tara's cleavage. As she'd drifted off, all Willow could remember, was that she'd wanted to be close to Tara. She'd curled up to her friend, wrapping herself around the girl's body as she'd fallen asleep. Realizing her need was only going to get stronger, Willow decided to remove herself from temptation.

As Willow shifted, Tara's arms instinctively tightened around her. Willow realized that if she wanted to move, she'd need to wake her friend first. Shifting upwards, Willow moaned as she accidentally brushed up against Tara's thigh. The rush of desire that ran through her body was insurmountable; she couldn't remember the last time she was this turned on. Gritting her teeth, Willow shifted upwards again, being extra careful to avoid friction. Moving one more time, Willow was finally in the position she'd been shifting towards.

"Tara," Willow whispered again, wanting to wake the girl gently. When she still didn't stir, Willow placed a soft kiss on Tara's cheek, enjoying the now familiar sensation. Figuring this wouldn't be enough, Willow let the kiss linger for a few seconds longer, releasing a tiny bit of her energy, before moving away, her face flushed.

Tara smiled back, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. She suddenly realized how intimately Willow was positioned against her body. The girl was half lying on top of her, their legs intertwined, her hands against Willow's back, holding her in place. She could feel the desire taking over her body...the wetness between her legs...the hardening of her nipples, and the throbbing sensation that just wouldn't let up. Slowly, Tara moved her arms to her side, releasing Willow so that she was free to move. Before moving away, Willow leaned down to place another kiss against Tara's cheek. She let the kiss last for only a second, before extricating herself from Tara. Tara closed her eyes, her cheek tingling from Willow's kiss.

"That was some spell," she let out eventually. Opening her eyes, she moved to her side to face Willow.

Smiling at the girl's question, Willow glanced over Tara's shoulder. "Oh no," she let out as she spied the clock.

Willow sat up, smiling down at Tara. "I was meant to be at Xander's by 7:00, for a Scooby meeting."

Sitting up as well, Tara turned to face Willow. "I guess the spell took a lot out of us..."

"Sure did," Willow grinned. She moved off the bed, to sit down next to the bowl. "I can't believe we made two stars though."

They both reached for a star, examining it closely. It had five points, was perfectly shaped, and looked exactly how they'd imagined it.

"Yeah," Tara agreed. Suddenly she thought of something. "It's as if..." she trailed off shyly.

Meeting Willow's gaze, Tara smiled. "When you were focusing your will, what were you thinking?"

Willow thought for a second, suddenly realizing what Tara meant. "You mean. . ?"

"Yeah," Willow returned, her grin widening. "I guess the Spirit didn't know whose will to obey..."

The girls burst into giggles. They were feeling ecstatic about what they'd just realized. As they'd focused on the shape of the star, they had both visualized giving it to one another. The Spirit must've picked up on this, and split their will equally; making two stars...one for each of them. The young Wiccans suddenly looked down at their hands, before simultaneously looking up. The girls smiled shyly, as they outstretched their hands. They were offering their star to one another, a symbol of their friendship and connection as witches. Slowly, they exchanged stars, gingerly taking the glass object into their hands. Suddenly feeling silly, and a little embarrassed; the girls burst into giggles.

As their giggling died down, Willow remembered the meeting. "I should go..." she let out softly, not exactly pleased with the idea.

Tara nodded; understanding, yet still a little disappointed. "Right." She forced a smile to her face.

Putting the star in her pocket, Willow made her way slowly to the girl's phone. She picked up the receiver, and dialed her friend's number. After a moment, she heard someone pick up.

"Where've you been?" Xander asked. "Giles was just about to send Buffy out to look for ya."

"You know..." Willow continued. "With my lab partner. I told you we had a project due this week..."

"Oh," Xander replied, remembering. "Anyway, you better get over here soon. Giles wants to talk about Adam and stuff, and Buffy looks ready to kill. I don't think she'll stick around much longer."

"No," Willow burst out. She was still sweaty from the spell, and the wetness between her legs definitely called for a shower. "I...chemicals...everywhere," she explained. "An explosion...very messy."

Tara played with her star as Willow tied her shoelaces, unable to shake a disturbing thought. When Willow had spoken to her friend, she'd noticed that the girl had lied about her whereabouts. It was now obvious to Tara, that Willow hadn't told anyone about her. Why was that? Was she embarrassed...ashamed. . ? Why did Willow feel the need to keep their friendship a secret? Tara was about to ask her, but thought better of it. She was probably just being overly sensitive; Willow must have a good reason for not telling her friends...right. . ?

Her shoes done up, Willow made her way towards Tara. The girl had a look of deep concentration on her face as she toyed with her star.

"I don't know how long I'll be," Willow explained. "So you don't have to wait up."

Tara simply nodded, not liking the idea. She wanted to be awake when Willow got back. How could she sleep not knowing if Willow was okay? Willow was going to a Scooby meeting, what was to stop her from going out on patrol with Buffy? What if she got hurt or something? Tara suddenly realized Willow did this all the time...she'd be fine...right? Then why couldn't she shake the disturbing sensation that something bad would happen?

"Okay," Tara smiled. "But...be c...careful..." she couldn't stop herself from adding.

Willow smiled at her friend's concern. Impulsively, she leaned over and placed a brief kiss against Tara's cheek. After a moment, she moved away; leaving them both a little flushed.

"Don't worry," Willow whispered. Meeting Tara's gaze, she smiled. "I'll be fine."

With those words, Willow stood up and made her way to the front of the room; Tara following behind her. Before opening the door, Willow waited for her friend to reach her. They smiled at each other, then slowly moved into an embrace. After a moment they turned to kiss one another's cheek. As they moved away, the two girls were red in the face; flushed and excited from the brief contact.

"Bye," Tara returned, smiling at Willow. She watched silently as Willow walked out.

Now that she was alone, Tara suddenly realized how hungry she was. They'd been so exhausted after the spell, they'd slept right through dinner. She also desperately needed a shower. Taking a moment to think, Tara decided to have dinner first, and shower later. She quickly put on her shoes, before heading out towards the student cafe; her thoughts immersed with Willow, and everything they'd gone through today.

"Oh," Willow returned, suddenly surprised. Usually when she thought about him, or someone mentioned his name, her mood shifted drastically. This time however, her mood remained the same...sure, she was saddened, but the pain was lessened; bearable even.

"In fact," Buffy continued. "You seem different lately...chipper...kinda happy like."

Willow smiled, realizing Buffy was right. Her thoughts drifted towards Tara...with her beautiful smile, her kind nature, her adorable sweetness, and the way she would look at her...

"I guess I'm moving on," Willow let out. "Getting over it...Putting the past behind me."

"I'm glad!" Buffy exclaimed. She paused for a second as she realized something. "So...you're moving on. . ?"

Recognizing the tone in her friend's voice, Willow replied with caution. "I guess..."

"No one," Willow giggled, trying to keep her reaction light. She didn't want to tell Buffy about Tara just yet; their relationship was too new...too special. Tara was hers, and she didn't want to share her with anyone...Wait! What was she thinking. . ? Hers? Since when was Tara hers? They might be more than friends, but that didn't give her the right to think of Tara as hers...Why would she even think something like that. . ?

"Admit it," Buffy teased, bringing Willow out of her thoughts. "You've got some secret honey stashed away."

Willow laughed. "No way." Inwardly she sighed; realizing how close to the truth Buffy actually was.

"The truth comes out," Buffy continued. "Those absent nights...I knew chem lab was just a front..."

"Oh!" Buffy exclaimed, pretending to ignore her. "I bet you're going there right now..."

Willow laughed harder, enjoying her friend's teasing. She'd forgotten how much fun her best friend could be...she'd missed their friendship of late.

Buffy laughed, figuring she'd milked the joke long enough. Suddenly she stopped walking; the sound of a branch crackling, alerting her to danger. "I think we've got company."

With those words, she turned around, coming face to face with four vamps. The Slayer made quick work of the first two, but not before the other two had gone for her best friend.

Willow ran, but they were too fast for her. She was on the ground now, kicking and punching as the vamps tried to hold her down. She was rolling left, then right, lifting her cross; doing her best to avoid their attack. One of the vamps managed to jerk her hand, throwing the cross clear across the grass. She scrambled to her feet then, making a run for it. The taller vamp reached her in a second, punching her square in the gut. She screamed as she fell, landing on some jagged rocks. She rolled over to avoid the pain, serving only to scrape her knees as she encountered more rocks.

"Buffy!!!" She screamed, knowing she was a sitting duck. The wind had been knocked clear out of her, and she knew she wouldn't be able to move for at least a minute. "Help!!!"

As the second vamp turned to dust, Buffy noticed her friend's screams. "Will..."

The larger vamp turned around at the Slayer's voice. He ran towards her, only to be casually dusted as Buffy went to her best friend's aid.

The smaller vamp had now turned Willow over, and was straddling her. He pinned her arms down over her head, pressing her hard against the rocky ground. "You're mine," he growled, as his teeth descended for her neck.

"Wrong!" The Slayer let out. She dusted the vamp before he could move another inch. "You're dead."

"No problem," Buffy returned, reaching a hand out. She helped Willow up, supporting her slightly as her legs wobbled. "You okay?" She helped her friend over to a nearby bench.

"I'll be fine," Willow assured, as she sat down. "I just need to catch my breath."

After a moment, Willow felt strong enough to stand. She got off the bench, wincing as her clothes brushed against her skin. She did her best to hide her pain though, not wanting to worry her friend.

"Oh," Buffy replied. "I thought that was just an excuse to ...you know...avoid spending another night around Anya..."

Tara lay in bed, doing her best to fall asleep; thoughts of Willow making the task difficult. For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that Willow was hurt. She knew it was irrational, but the thought just wouldn't leave her mind. Tara suddenly heard the door open. Willow was back! She wanted to jump up, turn the light on, and hug the girl tight. Lying perfectly still however, Tara closed her eyes as she listened to Willow's movements. She heard Willow close the door as she entered the room. A second later, she could hear the rustling of clothes as Willow kicked off her shoes, and started to undress.

"Ahh ," Willow groaned. When she'd taken off her shirt, the material had brushed up against her back, irritating the open wounds left by the rocks. Willow did her best to put the pain out of her mind, as she reached for her jeans.

Tara sat up, suddenly worried. What had caused Willow to react like that? Was she hurt...in pain...? What happened tonight?

"Ahh," Willow groaned again. She hadn't realized the cuts on her legs were this bad.

"Willow. . ?" Tara repeated. "Are you okay?" Not waiting for an answer, she leaned over and switched the lamp on. She needed to know what was wrong. If Willow was in pain, there must be something she could do to help...

Tara's jaw dropped as she took in Willow's semi-nakedness. There Willow stood...clad only in her bra and panties, not leaving much to the imagination. Tara couldn't stop herself from slowly taking in her friend's cleavage, her firm abdomen, her silky smooth thighs...Tara suddenly noticed the scrapes on her knees, the quickly developing bruise on her stomach, and the gashes around her rib cage.

"Not really." Willow turned around shyly, suddenly realizing she was half naked.

"Oh my God!!!" Tara burst out. Willow's back was streaked in blood from the various gashes and scrapes. "You're bleeding."

Tara suddenly leapt out of bed, holding back the tears. She couldn't stand to see Willow this way. Within seconds she was standing in front of Willow.

"I'm okay," Willow smiled. She met Tara's eyes, doing her best to reassure the girl.

Gingerly, Tara placed her hands on Willow's naked shoulders. A sudden spark of arousal coursed through her body, but she forced it down. She had no time for sexual thoughts when Willow was obviously in pain.

"We got jumped," Willow explained, her heart pounding at Tara's touch. "Four vamps..." she continued. "Buffy got 'em all though...eventually."

"But you're hurt..." Tara took a deep breath, forcing herself not to cry. "I..."

Suddenly realizing what she had to do, Tara moved away. "Wait here," she insisted.

"I'll get some stuff," Tara explained. She quickly located a cloth and her first aid kit.

Stopping her movements, Tara put on her most assertive face. "You're bleeding!" she exclaimed from across the room. "I'm gonna clean you up!" With those words, she placed the supplies on her desk, grabbed a bowl, and headed out the door.

Willow was stunned by Tara's reaction. She found herself liking Tara's assertive side. She'd never seen Tara so forceful before; it was quite a turn on.

A moment later, Tara was back, her bowl filled with water. She placed it down next to the first aid kit, before heading back to her friend. Tara smiled at Willow as she took her hand. She then led her slowly towards the desk, turning on another lamp once she got there. Without a word, Tara grabbed a washcloth and placed it in the bowl. She then gently turned Willow around, deciding her back needed the most work. She began to softly dab the wet cloth against Willow's skin, doing her best to ignore her friend's nakedness.

Willow looked over her shoulder at Tara. "It's okay," she reassured. Smiling, she urged her to continue. "I can take it."

She once again pressed the cloth against Willow, wincing as the girl arched her back. Tara hated to see her friend in so much pain...but the blood needed to be cleaned off, before the wound could be tended. Forcing herself to be strong, Tara continued dabbing at Willow's back, rinsing the cloth out every few seconds.

A minute later, Tara had finished with Willow's back. She made a quick trip to the bathroom, getting more water to clean up the rest of Willow's scrapes. Once she got back, Tara looked over Willow's body, trying to figure out what part of her friend to focus on next. Her eyes drifting downwards, Tara noticed the back of Willow's thighs had a couple of painful-looking gashes. Taking the wet cloth, she kneeled down so she could have better access to Willow's cuts. She placed one hand on the front of Willow's thigh, while using her other hand to press a cloth against the back of her leg.

Willow gasped as Tara touched her leg...not from pain, but from sheer arousal. The feel of the girl's hand on her naked thigh was amazing. She became extremely aware of the wetness between her legs, and was terrified her friend would notice. She gasped again, shocked by the intensity of her arousal. Tara had now finished with her left leg, and had started work on her right. Tara placed a hand on the inside of her thigh, while she cleaned the wound. The sensation was so stimulating, Willow could no longer keep her breathing steady.

Tara was oblivious to Willow's reaction. All she could think about was taking care of her friend. After a moment, she'd finished with the back of Willow's legs and was once again changing the water. When she got back, she began dabbing at the scrapes on her knees, before moving up to the gashes on her rib cage. As she began cleaning the cuts, Tara accidentally brushed her knuckles against the underside of Willow's breast.

Both girl's gasped at the contact, their eyes meeting in shock. They stared at each other for a moment, not knowing how to react. The intimacy of their situation was more than either of them could deal with, and yet they couldn't hide the effect it was having. Suddenly embarrassed, the young Wiccans shyly looked away, deciding it was best to ignore what'd just transpired.

Tara returned to cleaning up the gashes, being extra careful this time. Once she'd finished, she took a step back from Willow and smiled. "There."

Smiling back, Tara opened a bottle of mercurochrome, soaking a cotton ball with it. She motioned for Willow to turn around so she could disinfect her back.

Willow gingerly complied, knowing how much this was gonna sting. As soon as the cotton ball touched her wound, Willow arched her back in pain. "Ahhh," she groaned.

Tara simply smiled. She then moved to place her hand directly against one of the gashes on Willow's back.

"Tara...?" Willow stopped as she felt the searing heat emanating from her friend's hand. She suddenly realized what the girl was doing. This was the same healing mojo she'd worked on her in the laundry room. Closing her eyes, Willow relaxed and let Tara work her magick.

Fifteen minutes later, Tara was removing her hands from Willow's rib cage. All the wounds had been attended to, and even though they weren't completely healed, they were all closed up. Tara had managed to save Willow at least two week's worth of healing time.

"Uh huh," Willow nodded, still in a daze. The effect of the girl's energy was now coursing through her body, making her feel refreshed and totally buzzed.

Willow nodded. She reached for Tara, fusing their bodies together. "You're amazing," she whispered against the girl's ear.

Tara's heart skipped at Willow's words. As she wrapped her arms around Willow, Tara suddenly became even more aroused. Willow was half naked in her arms, and the sensation of her hot, silky skin against her, was turning her on to the hundredth degree. Closing her eyes, Tara let the sensation engulf her, as she tightened her hold. The girl meant so much to her, and when she'd seen how hurt she was, Tara had almost fainted. Holding her close felt so right...Willow was safe now; in her arms...

"You were great," Willow whispered. She pressed a soft kiss against Tara's cheek, holding her even tighter.

Willow was so overcome with emotion, she felt like she couldn't get close enough to Tara. She was suddenly aware of her own nakedness, and under any other circumstances she'd be coming down with an attack of the shy bug. However, the look of concern on Tara's face, and the way she'd looked after her, had brought with it this warm tingly feeling, and she just couldn't pull away. Her feelings for Tara got stronger every day, and to realize how much the girl obviously cared about her, made Willow feel happier then she'd ever been before.

A moment later, Willow dragged her lips away from Tara's skin. "Thank you." she whispered. Still holding her close, Willow moved to gaze into Tara's eyes.

"I'm glad you're okay," Tara whispered back. She was feeling totally flushed from Willow's kiss, and it was all she could do to keep her breathing steady. "I h...hated...to see you hurt," she confided.

"Willow..." Having no idea what she wanted to say, Tara brought her head down to Willow's shoulder, bringing their bodies even closer together.

The girls hugged each other tight, words escaping them. There was so much they wanted to say to each other, but the boundaries of their relationship were still too unclear. Instead, they simply held on to their friend, drawing comfort from just being together. They stayed that way for almost five minutes, unable to bring themselves to let go. When they finally pulled away, no words were spoken. Their connection was evident to both of them, and words were not needed to convey the fact that they cared for one another.

Willow smiled as she reached for Tara's hand. She then turned off the desk lamp, before leading them towards the bed. As they got under the covers, Tara leaned over and turned off the bedside lamp, before turning to her side and taking Willow into her arms. Going willingly into Tara's embrace, Willow reached her own arms around her friend, her hand coming to rest against the girl's back. .

"Night," Willow returned. She closed her eyes, unconsciously entwining her legs with Tara's.

The two girls lay there...not speaking, simply holding each other, and enjoying their closeness. They were feeling buzzed, but after a while they felt themselves relaxing, as the events of the day finally took their toll and they drifted off to sleep.

Tara also slept calmly, only her state wasn't quite as dreamless. She'd been so concerned over Willow, that she'd repressed all her desires while she'd been taking care of her. Subconsciously however, she'd been completely aware of the girl's nakedness, of Willow's reaction to her touch, and of her own pent up need. As she drifted deeper and deeper into the land of dreams, Tara's subconscious decided it was time for her to confront her latent thoughts...

Tara was now holding Willow close, they were in her room, slow dancing to some music. Tara couldn't quite make out the song, registering only that it was slow, and had no words. They continued dancing, moving to the rhythm. Willow soon began kissing Tara's cheek, then her earlobe, and then her cheek again, before moving down to her neck.

"I love you," Tara whispered. Willow looked up at her, joining their lips together.

They were kissing now, urgently seeking each other's warmth. Their mouths opened, as their tongues sought access.

Suddenly they were floating, soaring high above the ground, their lips still together.

"No!!!" Tara screamed. "Willow!!!!" She ran after the girl, going as fast as her legs could take her. She was too slow...Willow was just out of reach. Tara wouldn't give up however, she wasn't going to let anyone hurt Willow. Never again!

She was flying now, soaring towards Willow. Using a smoke spell, Tara blinded Willow's abductor. She drew the girl into her arms, as they flew back to her room.

"You're safe now," Tara whispered, pressing a soft kiss against the girl's forehead. "Safe."

She pulled away, leaning down to cover Willow's lips with her own. As their lips met, desire took over. They were kissing each other hungrily...lips crashing together...tongues dueling.

Suddenly, as if by magick, they were both naked, their clothes seeming to have just disappeared. They pulled away, taking a moment to look over each other's bodies.

A few seconds later, Tara was wet with desire. She bridged the gap between them, taking Willow's lips hungrily with hers. Not breaking the kiss, she maneuvered them towards the bed.

Willow was now lying on her back, as Tara showered kisses all over her. She started with the girl's neck, moving down towards her collarbone, then to her chest, before stopping at her breasts.

She took Willow's nipple into her mouth, sucking it, tasting it, running her tongue over it, enjoying it because it was Willow's. With her hand, she focused on the girl's other breast.

A moment later, Willow's hand found it's way in between her legs, while her other hand was cupping her breast. Tara reached down to penetrate Willow's folds, as they made love, bringing each other to the heights of ecstasy.

Recovering, the girls lay on their side, holding each other close, their lips meeting occasionally. "I love you," Tara whispered, moving a hand to stroke her hair.

"I love you," Tara repeated, softly kissing Willow's lips. She then moved to lie on her back, dragging Willow on top of her. Tara held the girl close, stroking her hair as Willow rested her head on her shoulder.

"I'll keep you safe," Tara whispered. She placed a soft kiss against Willow's hair. "Nothing'll ever hurt you again. " She briefly kissed Willow's lips. "I love you.... " She kissed her lips again. "You're safe here...always..."

Tara woke up the next morning, completely happy and totally aroused by the dream she'd just had. Opening her eyes, she smiled as she came face to face with the girl she loved. Willow was pressed tightly against her; their legs entwined, and their foreheads touching. Unable to resist, Tara placed a soft kiss against the girl's cheek. She was just so happy that the girl was alive and well. Last night had shaken her up completely; seeing Willow cut and bruised was something she never wanted to have happen again.

Overcome with affection, Tara kissed the girl's cheek again. As she pulled away, Tara suddenly realized Willow was half naked, and that her hand actually rested against the exposed skin of her back. She'd been too concerned last night to fully appreciate Willow's form, this morning however...Feeling a little guilty by the errant thought, she put some distance between them. Tara moved her hand away from Willow's back to her side, as she shifted a little. Unable to stop herself, Tara suddenly felt her eyes drift downwards.

Willow began to stir, gingerly opening her eyes. The first thing she noticed was Tara...giving her the once over. Willow's first instinct was to shyly cover herself up. However, she stopped herself as she realized it was *Tara* looking at her. She cared a lot about this girl, and after last night she realized just how much Tara cared about her as well. The very thought sent an intense rush of both affection and desire right through Willow's body. Closing her eyes, Willow decided to indulge Tara for a moment longer. If Tara wanted to take a peak, Willow figured she'd reward her a little...especially when she remembered the way she'd taken care of her last night...

As Tara's gaze lingered on Willow's scantily clad breasts, she could feel her desire mounting. She shouldn't be looking at Willow this way...Shifting her gaze back up, Tara was glad to see the girl was still asleep. Tara didn't know what she'd do if Willow had caught her staring. She had no idea why she was even doing this...it was almost out of her control. She just couldn't tear her eyes away from Willow, and she could feel her cheeks turning red from embarrassment and arousal. Of their own will, Tara's eyes once again drifted towards Willow's cleavage. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to behave. This was wrong, she had no right to be doing this...

Willow decided she'd played possum long enough. "Mmmm," she sighed, still keeping her eyes closed. She shifted her arms slightly, pretending to wake up.

Tara jerked her head up, her face turning redder than it already was. "Willow," she whispered.

Her heart pounding, Tara extricated herself from Willow. She got out of bed quickly, feeling both guilty and embarrassed by her previous actions. "Class..." Tara explained, avoiding eye contact. She suddenly realized that she did actually have a class in an hour.

"Sure," Willow smiled. She could tell the girl was feeling a bit embarrassed, and Willow couldn't help but enjoy her reaction. She found it very adorable how shy the girl was, and yet she'd caught her staring only a moment ago...Tara was priceless.

It didn't take Tara long to locate something to wear. She grabbed a towel and her toiletry bag before heading towards the door. "I'll be back soon."

Tara smiled, glancing at Willow. "Thanks." She then turned around, and walked out towards the shower block.

When Tara got back to her room, Willow was fully clothed, calmly sipping a mocha.

Tara moved to pick it up. "Thanks." She sat down at her desk, turning the chair to face Willow.

"There's a bagel in there if you want it." Willow pointed to the white paper bag next to her.

"Last night..." Willow explained. "I..." she trailed off, suddenly unsure of what to say. She wanted to let Tara know exactly how much she cared about her...that she was very touched by her actions...but the words wouldn't come out. All she could do, was look into Tara's eyes and smile.

Tara smiled back. She could see the emotion in her friend's gaze, choking her up slightly. She took a sip of her mocha before speaking.

The two girls smiled at each other in mutual understanding. Suddenly shy, they turned their attention back to breakfast, eating and drinking in silence.

Tara finished the last of her mocha. "A pr...protection spell..." She stood up, moving to place the cup in the bin.

Willow's grin widened in understanding. She knew where this was coming from, and it touched something deep inside her. She realized how much Tara must've been affected by last night. The thought of such compassion was enough to bring a tear to Willow's eye. Composing herself, Willow put down the empty cup, and went to Tara's side.

"Of course we can do it." She reached out and pulled the girl into her arms. She held her friend tight, showing her without words that she understood.

After a moment, the girls pulled away slightly. They were flushed not only from the physical contact, but from their emotions as well. Still holding on to one another, they looked into each other's eyes.

"Me too," Willow replied, letting go of her friend. She watched as Tara quickly located her books.

Tara walked towards Willow. "I'll see ya tonight." She placed a soft kiss against her cheek, before heading out the door.

Willow knocked on Tara's door, before entering the room. She still felt a bit shy about coming in unannounced, so figured a courtesy knock would be in order.

"Hey Tara," Willow smiled. She walked towards Tara, who was sitting at her desk.

"Maybe I can help..." Willow offered. She moved her chair closer to Tara so she could examine the girl's homework.

Willow grinned back. "I love the challenge of a math problem...it's almost as good as finally figuring out why you're computer program doesn't work. Once, I spent a whole day trying to figure out what was wrong with my code, and it turned out I'd used an underscore instead of a hyphen in one of my functions, and I'd forgotten to place a curly brace at the end of my main...You'd think I'd've been able to pick up on the syntax errors a lot sooner...but when I finally did though, the rush was just..."

Willow stopped talking, her facing turning bright red as her eyes dropped to the floor. She couldn't believe she'd just gone into babble mode...and not just ordinary babble mode, but computer geek speak babble mode. Tara must think she was the biggest nerd this side of the western hemisphere...Bracing herself, Willow risked a glance at Tara. She was surprised to see the girl looking at her with affection.

Tara smiled reassuringly; she'd been quite impressed by Willow's babbling. The girl was so smart...and in Tara's eyes, smart definitely equaled sexy...very very sexy!

"If you're good at something," Tara explained. "Why w...wouldn't you like t...talking about it. . ?"

"Besides," Tara continued. "Smart is..." she trailed off as she realized she was about to say sexy..."Good," she covered. "Smart is good...better...It's g...good to be smart..."

The girls smiled at each other, before suddenly bursting into giggles. Their giggles were simply a way of relaxing them as they continually tried to deal with their turbulent emotions. After a while, the giggling settled down.

Willow gazed at Tara for a moment longer, before motioning towards her books. "So, what part are you having problems with?"

Tara moved over a bit more, giving Willow more room at her desk. They were still quite close though, and their arms were grazing against each other, making them both feel a little giddy. "Here," Tara pointed to her book. "Polynomials..."

Willow took a moment to read over Tara's homework. The girl had ten questions to do before her next class, all of which were a piece of cake if you knew what you were doing.

"This is cool, " Willow grinned excitedly. She turned to look at Tara and smiled. "They're quite easy once you get the hang of 'em," she explained. "I see what you're doing wrong," Willow pointed at some of her working out. "There's a trick to it though," she continued.

Willow nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah...It'll just take me a minute to show you..."

The two girls went over Tara's homework question by question. Willow did her best to simplify things for Tara, and was pleased when the girl caught on quite quickly. Tara was very bright, Willow noticed. She had a sharp mind, and she only needed to be told something once before it sunk in; Willow was quite impressed.

Half an hour later, the girls had finished all ten questions. "Wow!" Tara exclaimed as she double-checked her final answer. "It's done."

Turning in her chair, Tara smiled at Willow, completely impressed with the girl. "Thanks to you," she commented. "I d...didn't think I'd ever understand how to do this stuff..."

Willow turned as well, so they were now facing each other head on. "You've just never been shown how to do it properly, that's all," she responded modestly. "I'm impressed with how quickly you picked it up..."

Tara's face turned red at Willow's words. "Thanks..." she leaned over and brushed a quick kiss against Willow's cheek.

Willow felt herself blushing as Tara moved away. She hadn't expected the lip to skin contact, but was nevertheless pleased. "You're welcome."

They looked into each other's eyes, sharing a moment. "You m...make a good teacher Willow." Tara told her shyly.

"Yeah," Willow replied. "I tutored Percy for a while...I think I told you about him. . ?"

Willow was pleased that Tara remembered. "Right." She smiled widely at her friend. "I also taught a computer class..."

"Sure did," Willow grinned, enjoying Tara's reaction. "It was after Miss Calander died, they needed someone to take over...I guess I was their cheapest option."

Willow grinned, enjoying their interaction. "So," she began, changing the subject. "You still up for that protection spell?"

Tara nodded. "Yeah, I got everything this afternoon." She stood up, moving to where she'd left the bag. She opened it and placed all the ingredients on the bed.

Tara turned to face Willow, smiling at the girl. "I've never done this spell before..." she began. "It's a bit advanced, but it's m..meant to act like an early warning device against v...vampires."

"We conjure a talisman," Tara explained. "You keep it in your p..pocket, and it heats up if there's a vamp within a half mile radius. It should um...g..give you enough time to, uh...run ..."

"Cool," Willow let out. She could see Tara had chosen the spell specifically; seeing her hurt had definitely shaken up the girl. Once again Willow felt a huge rush of affection for the girl. "What do you want me to do?" she asked softly.

Tara grabbed a spell book, and located the spell. "Here's the incantation," she pointed to the section. "We both need to say it."

Willow accepted the book and sat down to read over the spell. Tara quickly emptied the various bags of herbs into a bowl and began grinding them. She then placed some small beeswax candles on the floor, forming the shape of a pentagram. In the center of the pentagram, she placed the bowl of mixed herbs. Inside each of the five points, she sprinkled the mixture, leaving the bowl in the center of the pentagram empty. She then took out the bowl, and placed it on her desk.

She returned to the floor and lit all the candles, before turning towards Willow. "I'm finished."

Willow looked up from the spell book and smiled. "Me too." She closed the book, kicked off her shoes, and moved to sit next to Tara.

The girls looked at each other and smiled. Moving to sit opposite one another, the girls crossed their legs and lifted their hands upwards, forming a tent over the pentagram as they joined their palms together.

They merged their energy, before starting the incantation. They were now asking for help and guidance; for protection by the Spirits.

A moment later they could feel a presence in the room, draining their energy. They remained focused, repeating the incantation over and over. The herbs started to sizzle, as they began floating off the ground. The candles were now floating as well.

All of a sudden, Willow felt the Spirit's power surging through her. She opened her eyes, which were suddenly black. The word "Protect," came out of her mouth. She slumped to the ground then, as the Spirit left her; it's task completed.

All the candles and the herbs were gone now, and in it's place was a silver pentagram, which came crashing down to land in between the two witches.

"But it never would've happened without you," Willow insisted. She picked up the pentagram, instantly feeling it's power. "We made this together."

Willow grinned back; elated. She reached over and hugged her friend, holding her tight. Tara returned the embrace. She loved being in Willow's arms. They gave themselves over to the moment, stimulated by their proximity. After a minute, Willow slowly pulled away, suddenly feeling very tired. Apparently channeling a powerful Spirit's energy can take a lot out of you...

"Great," Willow replied. She quickly located her pajamas and toiletry bag. "Could I borrow a towel?" She asked. "I feel like a shower first."

"Sure," Tara smiled. It only took her a moment to locate a fresh towel. "Here," she handed it to the girl.

Fifteen minutes later, she returned to find Tara already asleep. The girl was obviously more tired than she realized. Willow dumped her clothes and towel in the hamper, before turning off all the lights. She then crept into bed, laying down on her side. Tara was facing away from her, but Willow snuggled up to her anyway. She placed a hand around the girl's waist, spooning them together. She reached up and placed a soft kiss against the girl's cheek, before pulling their bodies even tighter together. Closing her eyes, Willow soon drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Tara's alarm clock woke them up at 6:45am. Tara had an 8:00am class, and had set her alarm last night; not knowing if she'd be able to wake up in time. Irritated by the beeping, Tara reached out to press the snooze button. Willow's hand around her waist restricted her movement, but she was still able to stop the beeping.

Tara turned around to face Willow. "I'm sorry," she began, pleased to realize Willow's hand was still around her waist. "I don't mean to wake you up so early...b..but I've got a c..class at 8..."

Willow opened her eyes, smiling at her friend. Their faces were less than an inch apart, and Willow was sorely tempted to bridge the gap and capture the girl's lips with her own. However, she still wasn't ready for so bold a maneuver...instead, she settled on placing a soft kiss against her cheek.

"I understand," Willow whispered. She pulled away slowly, her eyes meeting Tara's. They smiled at each other, their faces flushed by the contact.

"I should get up," Tara began, her eyes still locked with Willow's. "Get ready for class..."

"Sure," Willow smiled. Her breath caught as Tara leaned in and kissed her cheek, before getting out of bed.

Willow watched in silence as Tara searched for something to wear. A few minutes later, she'd settled on an outfit, and was grabbing a towel. Tara noticed it was the only one left.

Willow sat up, suddenly remembering something. "Hey, we're supposed to do that together...right?"

Willow's grin widened. "Absolutely," she said flirtatiously. "I'll keep you company."

"Okay," Tara agreed, her heart racing at Willow's tone. "I've got a break late this afternoon..."

Willow had memorized Tara's schedule, and she grinned as she realized their afternoon break coincided. "Me too," she said. "We can meet in the laundry room around 4..."

When she returned, Willow had already come back with breakfast. She was sitting on the bed, sipping a mocha and reading through a spell book. "Hey Tara," she smiled at the girl as she walked in.

Tara grabbed a mocha off the desk and moved to sit down next to Willow. "Find anything interesting?" she asked.

Tara took a sip of her coffee as she suddenly noticed the time; 7:45. "Oh," she leapt off the bed. "I'm gonna be late."

Willow watched with affection as Tara searched around the room for her books. It took her only a moment to locate them. Once she had, Willow moved to her friend's side. She put her arms around her, bringing them close together.

"I'll see you this afternoon," she whispered against the girl's ear; holding her close.

"Okay," Tara whispered back. She turned her head slightly and kissed Willow's cheek, before moving away.

Willow smiled at her friend as she walked out the door; her face flushed from the kiss. They were becoming very comfortable around each other, Willow realized. She'd even noticed Tara's stuttering getting less pronounced the more they hung out, and it left her feeling very pleased. Their relationship was still undefined, and they hadn't even shared a first kiss...suddenly, Willow wanted that to change. She decided that she was finally ready to kiss Tara, to experience the merging of lips that would forever change their relationship. She just had to wait for the right moment...

Willow was the first one to reach the laundry room that afternoon. She'd stopped by her own dorm on the way there, in order to grab some more of her dirty clothes. She figured it wouldn't hurt to leave them at Tara's afterwards; she loved the idea of keeping her stuff there. As she placed the bag of clothes next to a machine, Willow was suddenly reminded of the night they first discovered each other.

This laundry room looked a lot like the one in Stevenson, and the memory of that night was suddenly very clear in her mind. She could remember the extreme rush of power she'd felt when they joined their energy for the first time; she'd never felt anything like that before. She'd known instantly that Tara was special, and she realized that even though she hadn't recognized it for what it was, she'd actually been a little attracted to the girl. She hadn't been able to let go of Tara's hand, and had even caressed it. At the time, she'd explained it away on their magickal connection, but she knew better now...

Tara walked into the room, bringing Willow out of her thoughts. "Hey," she greeted, placing the hamper down next to Willow.

Willow met Tara's eyes, looking into them with feeling. "About the night we first met," she said shyly.

Tara felt her heart skip at Willow's words. "Oh," she smiled, recalling the night herself.

The girl's looked at each other, sharing a moment. Willow suddenly felt the time was right for their first kiss. She felt so close to Tara, they'd shared so much and there was no reasonable excuse to stop them now. They were wide awake, fully alert, and in no way under the influence of each other's energy...or spell...or anything really...Willow's eyes drifted towards Tara's lips, and she could feel her head moving downwards as well.

As Tara looked at Willow, she could see the need in the girl's eye. Willow was going to kiss her, she realized...really kiss her...She was finally going to feel Willow's lips against hers as they shared their first real kiss. Tara was frozen to the spot, her heart pounding as Willow's lips slowly descended towards hers.

Just as their lips met, they heard the door opening and they instantly sprang apart. They'd both felt this intense spark as their lips had touched, and were now feeling totally buzzed. Even though the contact had only lasted for a split second, it had been enough to give them a hint of what was to come. Neither could meet each other's eyes, as they were both feeling not only embarrassed, but completely aroused. They stared at the floor for a few minutes, taking the time to slowly compose themselves.

When they finally looked at each other, they smiled shyly before bursting into nervous giggles. Once their laughter had died down, they silently went to work on loading the nearest washing machine with their laundry. They sat in silence as they waited for the machine to finish it's load. They had almost shared their first kiss, and they had no idea how to react to it. They didn't know what to say to each other, or even how to act around one another. Every now and then they'd steal a quick glance, and occasionally their eyes would meet. On those instances, they would smile shyly and quickly look away.

Half an hour later, the laundry was done; cleaned, dried, and folded neatly inside the hamper. They'd worked in silence, still too nervous to say anything.

Willow finally broke the silence. "I'm gonna take this back to my room." She held up the empty laundry bag. "And I'll um, see you later..."

Tara was already in bed when Willow entered her room that night. It was a little after 11:00 o'clock, and she'd spent the better part of the night at Xander's, putting in Scooby time; she'd been too shy after their almost kiss to go back to Tara's...at least for a little while. When their lips had met for that brief instant, it was as if the world had finally started to make sense...and to have it end even before it had begun was a cruel twist of fate. She needed some time to reflect on their relationship, and figure out what she wanted to do next.

As she looked at the sleeping form of her friend however, all her inhibitions and insecurities melted. The girl was curled up in a fetal position; looking utterly adorable. She was definitely falling in love with Tara...she'd realized that the other night, but had forced the thought out of her mind. She could no longer deny the truth though...the feelings were just too strong.

It didn't take her long to slip into her pajamas and crawl into bed. As she turned to face Tara, Willow felt a tear come to her eye; feeling both happy and terrified at the same time. She pressed a soft kiss against the girl's forehead, then against each of the girl's cheeks. As she pulled away, she noticed Tara's eyes were now open.

Willow reached out and put an arm around Tara's waist. She brought their bodies together, and rested her forehead against Tara's. "This better?" she asked.

"Much," Tara whispered, closing her eyes. She reached her own arm around Willow, pulling them even closer together.

When Willow hadn't come back all afternoon, she'd started to worry that their near kiss had wedged a gap in their relationship; that Willow had changed her mind about them. She'd been unable to concentrate on anything else, and had finally decided to try and get some sleep. That hadn't worked however, and she'd just curled up in a fetal position, as the tears had come. She'd cried herself out after a while, but still hadn't been able to get to sleep.

When Willow had opened her door, Tara had been surprised. She'd kept her breathing steady; pretending to be asleep. She'd been surprised again, when Willow had crawled into bed, and even more so when she'd felt the girl's lips against her skin. It was then that she realized everything was still fine between them, that Willow wasn't freaked, and that she'd been worried for nothing.

As she held Tara close, Willow realized why the girl hadn't been able to sleep, and suddenly felt a little guilty. Tara had obviously been just as confused and scared about their relationship as she was...and when she hadn't come back all day...what must Tara have thought. . ?

The girls just lay there, enjoying each other's presence; they were happy just to be in each other's arms. After a while, they eventually drifted off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that their relationship was still intact...stronger even then it had ever been.

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Safe Together

By SpikeMe4Now4200

Spikeme4now4200@yahoo.com.au