A Fluke Between Two Wiccans by SpikeMe4Now4200

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: This Story is mine. However, I don't own the Buffyverse or any of the characters created by Joss Whedon et al; you all know who they are. I don't wish to harm them; I simply want to play with them a little :-)
Distribution: http://au.geocities.com/spikeme4now4200/index.html http://mysticmuse.net
Everywhere and anywhere, just let me know where.
Feedback: Yes Please!!!! I would really appreciate feedback on this story; I'll reply to anyone who emails me. Constructive criticisms are very welcomed; outright flames will be ignored.
Spoilers: It would help if you've seen season 3.
Author's Notes: We know Tara was born in 1980; and since Willow graduated in the class of '99; that would mean our blonde Wiccan was 18 going on 19 during that year. Theoretically that would make her old enough to be at college. Furthermore, since it was never established exactly when Tara started college, my storyline could technically have taken place... in my own mind anyway... <lol>
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!
Pairing: Willow/Tara

Summary: What would have happened if Willow and Tara had met at the start of Tara's freshman year at UCSD?

The two witches looked down at the floor nervously; now that they were alone, they suddenly had no idea what to say to one another. Willow was nervous, as she still hadn't figured out a good way to ask Tara to be her teacher. Having listened to her and Amy talk for the past hour or so, Willow had realized how knowledgeable Tara actually was, and she was both excited and intimidated by the prospect of being taught by her.

Looking up at the blonde-haired Wiccan, Willow couldn't help but smile; the girl's eyes were rooted to the floor, and she was once again using her hair to cover her face. She looks so adorable, she thought to herself, so shy... Willow suddenly wished she could do something to calm the girl down. Tara was painfully shy; yet obviously powerful, and that definitely intrigued Willow; left her feeling as if she wanted to get to know the girl better. Hopefully she'd agree to be her teacher...

Tara on the other hand, found it hard to believe she was alone with this enchanting stranger; that the girl had actually stayed back on purpose. What did she want to talk about? Why had she stayed? Risking a glance upwards, Tara was surprised to find Willow's gaze upon her. She smiled nervously at the girl, and felt her heart skip a few beats.

Willow just smiled in response, as she looked into the girl's eyes. Now that their eyes were locked together, she suddenly forgot what she'd been about to say. All she knew, was that she'd instantly connected with Tara, and that looking into her eyes made her feel like nothing else mattered... like they were the only two people who existed on this planet...

"I, uh... I hope you don't mind..." Willow spoke eventually. She couldn't stare into Tara's eyes all day... It wasn't exactly appropriate behavior between strangers.

"Me being here," Willow explained. "I mean... alone... with everyone gone... you're not busy or anything, are you? Coz if you are, I can leave, and I... I know we all came here out of nowhere... kinda ambushed you and everything, and I... I wanna ask you something, but there were just too many people, and I... I wanna talk more—about the magicks, and... and you know, I... I..."

"Cool...!" Willow's grin widened as she realized something, "But I... I did it again, didn't I?"

"The babble-thing," Willow explained. "I... I kinda talk too much... when I'm nervous, and I... I guess I'm kinda nervous now..."

"N-nervous?" Why was this girl nervous? I'm the one who's nervous, what's this beautiful goddess have to be nervous about?

"Yeah..." Willow admitted softly, "I... I don't know why, but I... it's... you... with the connection, and the magick, and... well... I guess you make me nervous... and now I'm babbling again. Nervous and babbling, that's me..."

"M-M-Me too," Tara admitted softly, once again allowing a bit of hair to cover her eyes. "N-n-nervous, I mean... Only, I... I d-d-don't b-b-babble when I... w-w-when I'm n-n-nervous. I..."

"You stutter," Willow finished off with a smile. No wonder she felt a connection with this girl—they were totally alike. It's as if she'd met a kindred spirit or something...

"Yeah," Tara smiled back. "I... I h-h-hate it, I'm... I'm such a-a-a-a d-d-dork..."

Tara shook her head, and moved to make a protest of her own, but Willow continued talking.

"No," she insisted. "Really... I am a dork... with the babbling, and the nerves, and I... I've even been known to stutter on occasion, and with the computer thing, you can also call me a geek girl and I'm totally..."

"I-I-I d-d-don't think you're a d-d-dork W-W-Willow," Tara insisted. "Or a-a-a geek."

"You're special..." Tara trailed off as a blush hit her cheeks. Why did I just say that?

"Special...?" Willow whispered, blushing herself. She thinks I'm special... wow! She doesn't even know me, and yet...

Tara couldn't believe how bold she'd been—calling Willow special... what had she been thinking? I'm being way out of line here, she thought to herself. Willow's blushing, I've gone and embarrassed the poor girl... how could I be so forward? I've always been quiet-gal, and now I'm all with the compliments... great move Tara! You should've just kept your mouth shut like you always do. See what happens when you decide to talk...

"Hey," Willow interrupted, noticing Tara's embarrassment, "thanks..." She smiled warmly at the girl, letting her know the compliment hadn't been unwelcome. This girl is so sweet...

"I've just met you," she smiled softly, "and yet I feel like I know you. It's weird... in a good way."

Tara felt like her heart had stopped beating. Willow's words had caught her off guard, especially since she'd just been thinking the same thing. How was that possible? She'd never connected this quickly with anyone before.

Lifting a hand to her face, Tara unconsciously pushed her hair behind her ear—wanting to have a clear look at Willow. "I... I kn-kn-know w-w-what you m-m-mean," she smiled, her heart skipping another beat. The lovely redhead was looking at her with such affection, and Tara couldn't help but react to it.

Willow's smile widened in response. "I... I wanna ask you something," she continued.

"Okay," Tara replied, reminding herself to relax. Just because this girl feels connected to you, it doesn't mean she's romantically interested. She has a boyfriend—remember!!!

Willow smiled at the girl's modesty. "But you know things," she explained, "and you've been practicing... for years. With your mom, and..." Willow paused then, taking a moment to decide how to proceed. "What I'm trying to say, is that, um... I... I'm not really powerful myself. I've just got into the magicks over the summer, and..."

"Really?" Tara was surprised. "You... you seem v-v-v-very p-p-powerful t-t-t-to me."

"W-w-when we, uh... t-t-touched hands," Tara explained, "I, uh... I f-f-felt your-your energy, and I... I've n-n-never felt power like that... not since my m-m-mom..."

Willow was genuinely surprised, and also a little flattered. No one had ever said she had power before. Amy had always made a point of telling her how little power she had, and everyone else... well, they weren't happy she was messing with the magicks in the first place.

"No one's ever said I have power before," Willow explained. "I mean, sure... I know I must have some power, but I've never been able to do anything big. Oh, except for the curse... but that's different..."

"Curse?" Willow had done a curse? That's pretty heavy stuff for a first spell. Doesn't she know how dangerous curses are?

"It's this spell I did," Willow explained. "I uh... I don't wanna go into detail, but... it's kinda what got me into the magicks."

"W-w-what do you m-m-mean?" Tara asked in surprise. Curses were not like ordinary spells, they can open you up to all sorts of darkness... Although, I don't really sense any darkness in Willow... but... if she's been opened up to it...?

"When I did this spell," Willow began, "I felt like something had been, um... unleashed inside me. I felt this power, and I was me... but I wasn't me, and I... I think I... well, I think I kinda awakened something, and ever since I've tried to tap into it, but I... I've only ever been able to do little things..."

She's opened herself up to the magicks in a very dangerous way, Tara thought to herself. I hope she doesn't tap into the darkness...

"Amy's helped me a bit," Willow continued, oblivious to Tara's concern, "but mostly I've been practicing by myself. You know, looking in books and stuff. So anyway, that's kinda what I wanted to ask you... seeing as you're like the big knowledge-woman—on account of your mom—and you know things—more than me, and... and... well, you see, I... I kinda need someone to, you know, show me things, and I... when Amy told me about you, it was weird coz I was just thinking how cool it would be, and then out of nowhere Amy calls and tells me how she's been writing to you, and how she wanted to meet you, and I thought it was more than just a coincidence, and that maybe, um... maybe you were the one, and I... I... that's why I was so keen on meeting you, and, well...would you... ?"

"W-w-what?" Tara asked; feeling a little overwhelmed by Willow's words. The girl had been talking so fast, had said so much, and her own thoughts had slightly distracted her, that she wasn't sure she'd followed Willow correctly. If she wasn't mistaken, the girl was essentially asking for her help... with the magicks. Does she really want me to be her teacher? Why would she want me...?

Willow smiled ruefully. Typical, she thought to herself. I've just confused the girl with my babbling. Why do I have to be such a dork? She's never going to agree to it now. Who'd want a nervous babble-queen like me as a student?

"I'm sorry," she began, "I... I guess I kinda went on a bit..." She flashed Tara an apologetic grin, "but, I... what I wanted to ask, is if you'd um... would you teach me... about the magicks...?"

Willow's smile faded a little, as she realized Tara was trying to let her down gently. "Oh," she sighed, "you... you don't w-want to... I knew it. Th-that's cool, I... I don't wanna impose on you—I just met you, and I... I knew you probably wouldn't want to, so... don't worry about it, and I... I'm sorry to ask, and..."

"Oh no," Tara interrupted, realizing Willow had taken her hesitation the wrong way, "I... w-w-what I m-m-mean is, I... I'm n-n-n-not that p-p-powerful, and I... I d-d-d-don't know how m-m-m-much I could t-t-teach you."

"But you would," Willow smiled, wondering if she'd been mistaken after all, "teach me, I mean...?"

"If you w-w-w-want me to," Tara smiled back. Hey, maybe if I'm around, I can make sure she doesn't stray into darkness... although, what would I know? "B-b-but I'm... I'm prob-probably n-n-not that g-g-g-good a-a t-t-t-teacher..." she voiced her thoughts.

"I bet you would be," Willow replied. "I heard you talking with Amy, remember. You seem to know quite a bit about the magicks, and your mom's been teaching you since you were a kid. That's gotta count for something, and I... I'd really like to know more—not just about how to do spells, but about witchcraft, and Wiccans, and... there's so much I don't know, but I wanna know, and..."

"Willow," Tara interrupted; seeing the girl was about to spiral off into another ramble. "I'll be hap-happy to teach you."

Willow couldn't help but chuckle herself. "So," she ventured, after their mutual giggling had died down, "you'll... you'll be my teacher...?"

She smiled shyly at Willow, wondering where they went from here. She'd just agreed to teach this girl about the magicks, and suddenly she felt very conflicted. A part of her was extremely excited over the prospect of spending time with Willow; while another part was terrified she'd be a huge disappointment. She had no idea what Willow expected of her, and she didn't have too much confidence in her own abilities—especially when it came to showing them to someone else. What had she gotten herself into...?

"Tara," Willow began, noticing the girl's apprehension. "If... if you don't want to, um... you know, teach me. You don't have to. I... I don't want you to feel like you have to, just to be polite or something..."

"It's n-not that," Tara replied. "I... I j-just feel like, I... I d-d-d-don't know how good a-a teacher I'd m-m-make..."

Letting her hair cover her face, Tara looked shyly at the floor. "K-k-k-kinda, I... I... I'm n-n-not sure w-w-what you want, and I... I've never been anyone's t-t-teacher, and I... I don't w-w-wanna w-w-waste your t-t-time..."

Unconsciously, Willow reached a hand out towards the shy Wiccan, and rested it on her knee. "Tara," she said, getting the girl's attention.

Tara felt a warmth of electricity seep through her body, as she looked up to meet the redhead's gaze. Oh my God, she thought to herself, Willow's hand is on my knee... wow... wow... oh, wow...

"You won't be wasting my time," Willow explained; giving the girl's knee a gentle squeeze, before moving her hand back. "I... I have so many questions and stuff, and I can see you know a lot, and... and I... I don't just want you as a teacher..."

Willow shook her head. "I... I know I've just met you, and... and I don't really know you that well, but I feel like I do, and I... I wanna get to know you for real, and um... maybe we could um, you know... become friends..."

"If you want," she flashed her a huge grin. "I've never connected with someone so quickly... and I'm not just talking about the energy thing. I feel like, um... well, you know... I see you're shy, and... and hello—me too, and I... I kinda have a feeling that, um... that there's more to it. I mean... I think we probably have heaps in common... and I know it sounds weird, or-or presumptuous to-to say that, but, I-I kinda feel it, and I... I..."

"I f-feel it t-t-too," Tara interrupted, her heart beating erratically. She couldn't believe what Willow was saying. It's as if the girl had once again read her mind. How was it possible for this near-stranger to have the exact sort of thought process as her? It was truly amazing.

"Wicca buddies," Willow continued, feeling a little giddy. "Instant friends and Wicca-buddies," she repeated.

"This is so cool," Willow grinned. "Who'd've thought I'd end up with a new friend and magick guide, all in one day? I woke up this morning thinking about how my best friend was still missing, and how I'd love to have someone to show me stuff, and meeting you is like... it's like fate. I gotta say Tara, I'm glad I met you..."

"Thank you W-Willow," Tara blushed. "I... I'm g-glad I m-m-met you too..." She trailed off as she thought of something. "W-what hap-happened to your b-b-best friend?"

Willow wondered how to respond to that. Should she tell her about Buffy, or was it too soon? Much as she'd connected with the girl, she still didn't know her that well, and telling her about the Slayer, and Angel, and everything might be a bit much for a first meeting. Although, her inner voice reminded her, even though you don't know her, a part of you does. Doesn't it? You feel connected to her. If she's gonna be your teacher, you shouldn't really hide anything from her. And besides, it's not like she's gonna go and expose Buffy's identity to the whole world—the girl's not like that. And even if she did—it wouldn't really matter, coz hello, missing-Slayer. She hasn't even bothered to send a note to let you know she's all right...

"Oh," Tara replied, realizing she'd pushed too far. "Th-that's okay... You d-d-don't have to, um tell me..."

"But I want to," Willow interrupted. "I just don't wanna bore you, and... it's complicated, and I don't know how much to say, or what not to say, but if you don't mind listening, I'll tell you."

Willow returned the girl's smile, and leaned back in the armchair. "Well, I guess I'd have to let you know who my best friend is. Her name's Buffy, and she's a Vampire Slayer..."

"My mom told me about them," Tara explained. "But I always thought they were just a m-myth."

"No myth," Willow replied. "We met Buffy during our sophomore year of high school, and we kinda found out she was a Slayer, and we've been friends ever since..."

"Xander and me," Willow grinned. "Xander kinda had a huge crush on her when she first showed up, and he overheard her talking to Giles about vampires, and demons, and her being the Slayer, and..."

"He's her watcher," Willow explained, "but he's also the high-school librarian."

"As real as Slayers," Willow replied. "Anyway, that's when we met, and the three of us have been best-buds ever since."

"That's the complicated part," Willow explained. "You see, Buffy met this guy called Angel, and the two of 'em kinda fell in love, and... and... Angel wasn't your typical ordinary guy..."

"W-w-what?" Tara exclaimed. "A v-v-vampire...? B-b-but I thought vampires were, you know... evil, and..."

"Oh, they are," Willow assured. "Only Angel had a soul, so it made him different."

"The gypsies put a curse on him by giving him a soul; forcing him to repent for everything he's done as a vampire. Although, being a curse, there's kind of an out clause—a side effect..."

"If Angel achieved even one moment of pure happiness, his soul would be taken away from him, and... well, the two of 'em were in love so they, you know... and then Angel turned bad and lost his soul, and then..."

Tara suddenly got the gist of what Willow was saying. "That's the c-curse you did," she surmised, recalling what the girl had said earlier. "You cursed this v-vampire so that he and B-B-Buffy could be together... and that's why she's g-g-gone... to be with him."

Willow was pleasantly surprised by the girl's perceptiveness—by her intelligence. "Sort of," she explained. "I cursed him, but I don't know if they're together, or if I was too late, or what happened, and she's been gone all summer, and I have no idea where she is, or if she's all right, or-or if anything's happened to her, and-and I wanna think she's coming back for school, but-but she was expelled, and oh, I just miss her so much. She's my best friend, and I... I wanna know she's all right... but she hasn't even called, or written, or... or... and she could be lying in a ditch somewhere, or worse, and..."

Without thinking, Tara leaned forward and placed her hands on Willow's shoulders. She wanted to calm the girl down; her emotions were everywhere. "Hey," she whispered, "are you okay?"

No she wasn't; Willow had been holding back her feelings all summer. She missed Buffy, was worried about her, and a part of her resented the Slayer for not being around. What made it worse was not being able to talk about it. Sure, she had Xander and Oz, but... well... they were guys, and she wanted to appear strong in front of them. She didn't want them to think she was a weak emotional female, and even though they'd be understanding—she didn't want their sympathy; she was the strong one—the one they could all turn to...

Although; it was hard being the only girl around two guys, and she wanted to prove she was just as tough as they were. Maybe that's why she was on the verge of tears now; she'd bottled up her feelings for so long, and actually having another girl to talk to—one she'd instantly connected with—had kind of triggered her emotions.

"I..." she looked into Tara's concerned eyes and melted. "I..." she began again, but the tears choked her, and she dropped her gaze downwards.

Tara couldn't stand to see Willow in distress, but had no idea what to do. Should she put her arms around the girl, or would that be too forward? She'd just met Willow, and physical contact—even of the comfort variety—was a definite no-no. But she's so upset, her inner voice told her. The girl's lost her best friend, and she's almost crying... you have to do something...

She knew the answer, and without a second thought, Tara moved her hands from Willow's shoulders and wrapped them around her neck, as she gently guided the girl towards her. Willow instantly went into Tara's arms, leaning forward in her chair, so that she could wrap her own arms around Tara's back, as she began to cry on her shoulder.

Tara didn't say anything as she held Willow close, allowing the girl to release her anguish at will. She knew that nothing she said would make her feel better, so it was best just to be here; to let the girl cry out her tears, and comfort her in silence. As Willow continued to cry softly against her shoulder, Tara couldn't help but sympathize with the girl. As a result, she unwittingly began to release some of her energy. She let it flow around her, as she channeled it towards Willow. Her total need to comfort the girl guided her energy instinctively into the redhead's own energy circle, and acted like a calming force.

Willow could feel Tara's energy surrounding her; comforting her; calming her, and she instantly succumbed to it. She tightened her hold on the blonde Wiccan, and allowed herself to absorb the comfort that was being offered to her. She missed her best friend terribly, was scared that something had happened to her; scared that she'd never see her again, but as she continued to let loose with the tears; continued to allow Tara's energy to mix with her own, Willow felt herself gradually coming to terms with her emotions.

Things aren't so bad, a voice told her, and she'll be okay. Buffy was the Slayer after all, and she could take care of herself. She had nothing to be worried about—the girl simply needed some alone time, she'd come back when she was good and ready...

With that, Willow took a deep breath and absorbed one last sensation of Tara's energy, before she pulled away from her. She slowly lifted her head, and unwrapped her arms from around Tara's back. The blonde let go of her as well, and Willow used her fingers to wipe away the tears on her cheeks, as she leaned back in the armchair.

"Thanks," she said huskily, allowing her eyes to meet Tara's. "I... I don't know what came over me. I don't usually cry in the arms of girls I've just met." Willow grinned.

Tara blushed at Willow's words, and smiled warmly at her new friend. "Th-that's okay," she said softly. "I just... I-I hope you're okay..."

"I am now," Willow replied, unconsciously lowering her voice. "Thanks to you. That was some mojo you worked on..."

"The energy thing," Willow explained. "I could feel it—you calming me. It was so cool. It made me feel... peaceful, and I... I heard a voice inside my head—telling me it was gonna be fine, that she'd come back, and that I had nothing to be worried about. It was your energy that made me, um... feel like that..."

All Tara could do was smile; she was glad she'd been able to help. The girl looked much happier now, and that made Tara happy.

The two girls sat there in silence for about a minute, simply smiling affectionately at one another. Neither of them knew what to say, but they both felt as if something significant had just happened. Even though they were practically strangers, they'd just shared their second intimate moment—the first being their initial exchange of energy upon meeting one another.

"A magick thing," Willow explained. "It's like our energy connects, and... and we were meant to meet. It's fate..."

Tara's smile widened. "You've said that already," she whispered, feeling warmed by the girl's words.

"Right." Willow chuckled with giddiness, as she looked deep into Tara's eyes. How was it possible to connect with someone so quickly? And what is it about this girl's eyes? Why can't I stop gazing at them? They're just so... so blue, and so... beautiful... amazing... She let her thoughts trail off, as she forced herself to look away.

Tara nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Both her mind and body were in a total state of disarray, and she was doing her best to curb her emotions. Willow's gaze, coupled with just having held the girl in her arms, left Tara feeling more than a little flushed.

Willow smiled warmly at Tara. "I know," she began, "but I want to. You're like my teacher now, and you've just, you know, with the energy, and... and, well, I just wanna say thanks. Okay?"

How could she refuse? "Okay," Tara conceded, flashing Willow a shy smile, before allowing her hair to once again cover her face.

"Great," Willow exclaimed enthusiastically, as she leapt out of her chair. "We can make a day of it," she continued. "If you want to... I mean, you're new in Sunnydale, and you probably haven't even been to the mall yet. Oh, and there's the magic shop. Have you been there?" Willow asked, not waiting for an answer. "I bet you haven't. I can show you, if you like, and... they know me real well there, and I could, you know, recommend you—tell 'em you're a fellow-Wiccan, so they'll give you a discount, and... and it'll be fun. So what do you say? You in?"

What could she say? Of course she was in. "I'd l-love to. It s-s-sounds like f-f-fun..."

"Cool," Willow grinned, reaching out a hand towards Tara. The girl instantly took it, and they both felt the zing of energy as Willow helped her up. They acknowledged the exchange with a knowing look and a shy smile.

"There we go again," Willow quipped, letting go of the girl's hand. "We're like lightning central..."

At Tara's nod, Willow turned around and headed for the door. Tara followed closely on her heels, closing the door behind her.

The two budding friends spent the next two hours walking around the Sunnydale mall, looking at clothes; jewelry; candles, and all things Wiccan-related. They didn't talk too much, but words weren't really necessary between them. As they walked from one shop to the next, all they had to do was look at one another, to know if they liked what they saw.

The main gist of their conversation merely involved Willow informing Tara of her favorite shops, or expressing an interest in a particular item. When they were done with the mall, the girls headed towards the magic shop. Once there, they proceeded to stock up on candles and herbs for their individual supplies. This took them over an hour to do, as they kept getting distracted by pretty crystals, or charms, or books, and would take their time looking around the small shop. When they were finally done, they dutifully made their way back to the college campus.

"That was fun," Willow ventured, as she stepped into Tara's room. "It's been ages since I've had a good day at the mall." She placed her bag from the magic shop down on the bed. "With Buffy gone, and... no one to shop with but Xander, and Oz, and... well, you know what guys are like..."

Tara grinned in response, placing her own bag down on her desk. "Yeah," she sat down on her bed. "I kn-know what you m-mean. Guys have never r-really liked sh-shopping, have they...?

Tara smiled affectionately at her new friend, as the girl took a seat. "It was great," she admitted. "I... I don't re-re-remember the last time I had so much f-fun"

"Me neither," Willow grinned. "Thanks Teach," she quipped, eliciting a giggle from the young blonde. "Speaking of which. When can I have my first lesson? I'm dying to know what you know, and I..."

"You're very powerful," Tara explained. "But you, uh... you don't know how to, um... control that power. Before you can do anything; you need to know how to channel it properly... it's essential. Without control, not only can you mess up a spell, but you could hurt someone, and that goes against all the laws of good magick, and..." she trailed off as she noticed the large grin Willow was giving her. "What?" she asked the redhead with a smile.

"It's gone," she explained. "I mean, when you talk about the magicks. It's like you're a whole new person—more confident. It's cool. I like multiple-sided Tara."

"Totally," Willow chuckled. "So, anyway... about the energy. What do you mean I have to control it? I already know how to let it flow around me and stuff, and I..."

"I-I-I... I kinda don't really do that," Willow admitted sheepishly. " I... I just try to tap into my power, and... "

"Then that's the first lesson," Tara interjected. "Before you do anything, you need to learn relaxation and control."

Tara got up off the bed and moved towards her bookshelf. "I have a book on it," she explained, taking a moment to search for it. "Ah," she sighed, "here it is." She picked up the volume in question, and turned back to face her student. "You should read over it," she handed the book to Willow, "and practice each of the techniques until you find the one you like best. When you've found a favorite, I'll show you how to focus your concentration and energy."

"There's no rush," Tara explained. "You need to choose a technique that suits you, and... and everyone's different, and there's so many of them. You can't just rush into it."

"Okay," Willow replied; always the model student. "No rushing. I'll go over each technique carefully."

"So when should we meet?" Willow asked "I'd love to meet every day, but... I guess you've got classes tomorrow, and I've got school, and... but I don't just wanna meet on weekends. I wanna see you tomorrow, so... could we meet tomorrow... if it's okay? I know you said not to rush, but... even if I haven' found a technique yet, I could, um... you know... talk to you about the ones I've tried, and... maybe we could go over the rest of them together, and I... I... I really just wanna see you again, even if it's just to talk. You see, I-I really like you, and I... I want us to be friends, and with Buffy gone, you're the first person I've felt like I could talk to, and I..."

Tara didn't know what to make of Willow's words, but nevertheless felt herself blushing. She'd never had a good friend before, and even though she wanted to be more than just friends with this girl; she'd settle for whatever she could get. This girl was definitely someone she wanted to have in her life.

"You can come here every day after school," Tara broke Willow's babble. "College classes don't start till next week," she explained. "But, if you want... when they, um... do start... you can still come over. If I'm not back from a class, you can always come inside and wait for me. I won't mind."

"Really?" Willow exclaimed. "I can just come in? You won't mind me being here alone, and..."

She trusts me, Willow thought to herself, warmed by the prospect. "Thanks," she told her sincerely.

"Great," Willow continued. "How's 9am sound. It's not too early is it? Coz I know some people like to sleep in on weekends, and..."

"Cool," Willow ventured, "so, we meet every day after 3, and then every morning on weekends. This is gonna be great. I get to learn all about the magicks, and we can talk, and get to know each other."

All Tara could do was nod, as Willow's words sank into her mind. We're gonna see each other every day. I get to see her every day. She wants to see me every day. Mom was right—Sunnydale is definitely the place to make Wiccan-friends. I'm so glad I came here...

Now that they'd sorted everything out, Willow decided she should head off. She'd spent the whole day with Tara, and she didn't want to overload the girl with her company. Besides, it was just after four, and she had to meet the gang at Giles' in an hour. With that, she lifted herself out of Tara's comfy armchair, and moved towards the bed—where the girl was sitting, and also where her bag of magick stuff was.

Tara was a little disappointed, but the knowledge that she'd see Willow again tomorrow, kept her mood cheerful. "Okay," she smiled, as she stood up.

"I gotta meet the gang," Willow continued, moving to stand in front of the blonde. "With Buffy missing, we've kind of been picking up the slack, so we go on patrol every night."

Tara didn't like the sound of this. If patrol meant hunting for evil blood-sucking vampires, then she definitely didn't like the idea of it. Willow could get hurt... or worse...

Willow was oblivious to Tara's anxiety, as she continued with her goodbyes. "So that's why I gotta go. Even if we can only stake half the vamps; that's better than none—right?"

"Sure," Tara forced herself to reply. She didn't want Willow to see how anxious she was. She had no right to be over-protective; the girl was not now, nor ever shall be—her girlfriend. Once she fully realized this—she'd be much better off.

"I wanna thank you—for everything..." Unable to resist her impulses, Willow put her arms around Tara, and drew her into a quick hug. "Thank you," she whispered into the girl's ear.

Tara's skin tingled as Willow pulled out of the embrace; the girl's hug had caught her a little off guard. "You're w-w-welcome."

Looking into the blonde's sexy blue eyes, Willow found herself reluctant to leave. "So I'll see ya tomorrow?" She turned around, not waiting for an answer.

Opening the door, Willow turned back around and smiled at her new friend and teacher. "Thanks again," she stated, placing the book the girl had given her, into her bag from the magic shop. "Bye," she continued, smiling at Tara one last time, before heading out the door.

As agreed, Willow went straight to Tara's after her first day of school. She was eager to begin with the lessons, and had stayed up half the night going over the book she'd given her. In fact, she'd wandered off into the library during every free moment so that she could read through it some more. It was quite interesting actually, and Willow could see now why Tara had recommended it to her.

Even Giles had approved of the book. He'd seen her reading it and had been curious as to where she'd gotten it. She'd then been forced to tell him all about Tara, and what she'd said about relaxation, and control, and how she was gonna teach her about the magicks. She'd expected Giles to give her his usual disapproving tongue cluck and stare, but to her surprise, none had been forthcoming. Giles had actually been happy that she'd found someone with such 'responsible views on magick.'

He'd even expressed an interest in meeting Tara, and Willow couldn't wait to introduce them. Tara was her new friend and teacher, and Willow really wanted the girl to be a part of her life; a part of the Scooby gang. She knew it was strange to think like that—having just met the girl—but with their instant connection, Willow knew she'd found someone special... a life-long friend, hopefully...

When she heard the knock at her door, Tara instantly knew it was Willow. She'd spent the entire day thinking about the girl she'd just met, and had been eagerly anticipating her arrival. She still couldn't believe how lucky she was to have met her. Much as meeting Amy had made her feel uncomfortable—she was nevertheless thankful for the semi-dark Wiccan's entrance into her life. If it wasn't for Amy, she'd probably never have met Willow. With that thought, she rushed towards the door, eager to greet her new friend.

Tara moved aside to let Willow through. "Great," she closed the door behind her, and then turned to face Willow head on. "How was your first day of school?"

"Not too bad," Willow grinned. "Although, Oz being there kind of wigged me out."

Why would her boyfriend's presence wig her out? Tara thought to herself, giving Willow a quizzical look.

"He's not supposed to be there," Willow explained, noticing her friend's confusion. "He was a senior last year, and now he's back again. It turns out he kinda forgot to show up for classes, and exams, and even summer school, and... so there you go."

"What really annoys me, is that Oz is really smart, and... and all he has to do to ace a test is show up, but all he cares about is his music, and... he doesn't even care about his future, or... or anything, and I... I worry about him, but I don't wanna smother him, so I don't say too much, but I don't want him to regret things later on in life, and it's just so annoying. I totally don't get him sometimes, and I... I... I know it's his life, but I only want what's best for him, and..."

Willow trailed off and smiled apologetically at Tara. "I'm doing it again, aren't I—the babble-thing?"

"It's okay," Tara replied. "I don't mind. You-you must c-care about him a lot..."

Willow moved towards the bed and took a seat. She then looked up at her new friend and smiled. "Yeah... I care, but... but it's frustrating. Oz is my first boyfriend, and I... I sometimes have no idea what I'm doing—how to act. Things are confusing, and without Buffy around, I've had no one to talk to, and..."

"You can talk to me," Tara offered instantly. She took a few steps towards Willow, and sat down next to her. "I... I've n-n-never had a b-b-boyfriend, but... if you w-w-wanna talk; I'm a g-good l-l-listener."

Willow smiled affectionately at Tara, genuinely touched by her offer. This girl is so generous, she thought to herself. She's one of the nicest people I've ever met.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I... I don't wanna bore you, but I... I might take you up on that." Removing her book-bag from her shoulders, Willow placed it on her lap. "Not now though," she continued, searching around for Tara's book. "Now I wanna talk about magicks."

"That's why I'm here," Tara replied, secretly glad Willow wanted to talk about magick, and not about Oz. She'd meant what she said about being here, but her uncontrollable crush on the girl made it a little difficult to hear her talk about her boyfriend. Although, if that's what Willow wanted, she'd gladly force down her uneasiness in order to hear the girl out; it would be selfish of her to do otherwise.

"I love this book," she told her teacher as she opened it up. "I haven't gotten around to trying any of the techniques, but I've finished reading it though." Willow stopped flicking through the pages as she came upon the one she was looking for. "Here," she pointed, glancing at Tara, and then back at the book. "I really like the sound of this one, and I was thinking... maybe I could try it now... and you could, um... you know, let me know if I'm doing it right or..."

Tara looked into her student's eyes with adoration. "That's the first technique my mom taught me," she explained. "It's my favorite—I use it all the time..."

The girls smiled at one another, and took a moment to process the coolness of their situation. This was yet another thing which connected them, and both girls couldn't help but wonder if it really was fate. Their similarities were astounding, and it was too much of a coincidence, to actually be a coincidence.

"I was thinking about it last night," Tara explained, moving in to her confident mode. Willow was right; talking about the magicks did have a positive effect on her. Why hadn't she noticed it before?

"Thinking about the connection," she continued. "I mean—with the energy. N-n-not many Wiccans can connect like that, and I thought it might be easier to teach you if we do things together—your energy mixing with mine."

"We should lie down," Tara began thinking aloud. She stood up, and looked down at the bed. "We could use the bed," she continued.

Willow stood up as well, eager to begin. "I'll take off my shoes," she ventured, moving to do just that. A minute later, Willow was lying on Tara's bed, staring at the ceiling.

Tara looked down at the redhead on her bed, and suddenly wondered if this was a good idea. She'd allowed her confidence to take over as she'd planned the exercise, but now that the reality of it was upon her, she once again began to shrink into her shell. Holding hands with Willow as they lay on her bed was a very intimate act. Was she ready for it? Could she control herself? It would look weird if she backed down though...

With that thought, Tara took a deep breath, and joined Willow on the bed. She tentatively reached for the girl's right hand, and sighed when she felt their energy connecting—like it had yesterday. "I'll start the countdown," Tara whispered, doing her best to keep her breathing steady.

"Okay," Willow replied, wondering why her pulse was racing. When Tara had laced their fingers together, Willow had instantly felt the girl's energy, but she also felt something else. What was it? Why did holding Tara's hand make her knees feel like jell-o? It must be the magick thing... right? Closing her eyes, Willow forced the confusing thoughts out of her head as Tara began to count downwards from 10 to 1.

An hour later, Tara was once again counting—only this time the count was from 1 to 10. When she reached the final digit, the two Wiccans slowly opened their eyes, as they re-immerged into full-consciousness. They both felt completely refreshed, and even more connected to one another than before. They'd felt one another's energy the whole time they'd been in alpha-level, and even though they were two separate entities, they'd been fully conscious of the other's presence the whole time.

Willow slowly moved to her side so that she could look at her teacher. "That was so cool," she whispered.

Tara mimicked her student's action, and smiled warmly at her. "Yeah," she agreed.

"I feel so relaxed," Willow continued, "so peaceful, and calm, and... and yet I'm not sleepy... you know?"

"Now that you're relaxed, the next step is learning how to focus your thoughts, how to control your energy... how to concentrate."

Tara slowly lifted herself up off the bed, and moved to grab another book. "There are plenty of techniques here," she explained, taking the book back to the bed. She sat down and handed it to Willow. "But seeing as we're so connected, I thought we could use the one I do... but I think you should, um... still read it. You might find something you like better... but for right now..."

Willow sat up, as she looked down at the book. "That'd be great," she exclaimed. "I'll read over it tonight, but I can't wait to start practicing. So what do we do?"

"I've sorta managed a feather," Willow explained, "but every time I try it with a pencil, I barely get it off the ground. I'm hopeless..."

"That's not what Amy always says," Willow replied. "According to her, I'm like totally powerless—I can't do anything."

Tara felt a sudden flash of anger towards Amy. How dare she say that to Willow? She had no right to put the girl down like that. No wonder Willow feels like she's hopeless. She's got more power than anyone I've ever met, and she's completely oblivious to it. I have to do something to show her the truth.

"I'll show you," Tara stood up, and moved towards her desk. "You've got more power than you realize," she grabbed a pencil, before heading back to the bed. "You just haven't learned to channel it properly."

Tara placed the pencil down on the bed in front of Willow. "Remember what it felt like just now, when our energy was merged together?"

"Well, you kinda have to do the same thing, only your energy has to merge with that of the pencil."

Willow chuckled at Tara's words. "A pencil doesn't have energy," she grinned, thinking the girl was teasing her.

Tara smiled back. "Everything has energy," she explained, "even inanimate objects. Energy surrounds all things, and that's how we're able to use our power to manipulate them..."

Willow was a little surprised by Tara's words. She knew that energy was everywhere, but she hadn't realized it was inside every thing. Why hadn't Amy told her that? She must've known; how else could she do the things she did...? "You're serious?" Willow asked. "I never knew that..."

"It's one of the first things my mom told me," Tara explained. "I'm surprised Amy never said anything..."

"That's what I'm thinking," Willow replied, feeling a little disgruntled with her old friend.

"You should be careful around Amy," Tara suggested. She knew it wasn't her place to say anything, but she worried about Willow—and all her senses tingled around Amy. The girl had given off some strange vibes when they'd met yesterday, and Tara couldn't help but feel uneasy around her. "She, um... she m-makes me uncomfortable," she admitted.

"I dunno," Tara replied. "It's just that, um... when I met her yesterday, she um... she had a weird vibe around her, as if her energy was fragmented. I'm not saying she's a bad person, but there's a lot of grayness in her power. I feel like she's, um... she's struggling with something..."

Willow was impressed with Tara's intuitiveness, and couldn't help but believe her. Even though she'd known Amy all her life, for some reason, Tara's word meant more to her than Amy's. Why was that? Admittedly, Amy did tend to make her feel inadequate at times, and she did bring out a negative side of her... This led her to believe that Tara's observation was probably pretty spot on. Willow decided then and there, that she could trust Tara. All of Willow's instincts were telling her she'd lead her on the right path.

Tara was pleased with Willow's response, and felt herself blushing as their eyes met. "So," she continued, forcing herself to concentrate. "Anyway, like, um... like I was saying. Energy is everywhere, in everything, and um... that's how you should move the pencil."

Willow still didn't think she could do it, but if Tara said to try it, then she would. "Okay," she replied. "But, um... what concentration technique should I use? You said something about..."

"I'll tell you later," Tara replied. "Once you've floated the pencil, I'll show you how to keep it floating, and how to, um... move it around. That's what takes up your concentration."

Willow nodded, and then looked down at the pencil. "So I should merge our energy... connect with it...?"

"Right," Tara guided her. "You don't literally merge with it, but you, um... you touch it with your own energy, let it mix together somewhat, and then use your energy to guide the pencil's energy upwards. It's really not that hard, and you have a lot of power... so it should be very easy for you."

"Here goes," Willow took a deep breath. She looked at the pencil on Tara's bed and slowly began to release some of her energy. The pencil's got energy, she reminded herself. Mix with the pencil's energy; guide the energy...

As the thoughts rolled in her mind, Willow eventually began to feel the energy around her... to feel not only her own energy, but the pencil's as well. She'd never noticed that before... admittedly she'd never looked for it, but now that she'd found it, she wondered why she hadn't realized it sooner.

Tara smiled as she watched the concentration on her student's face. She could feel Willow's energy being released; could feel it mixing with the pencil's, and her smile widened as the pencil began to slowly move upwards. She's doing it, she thought excitedly. Willow's really doing it! I knew she could. I'm so proud of her...

"I'm doing it," Willow exclaimed, once the pencil had reached her eye-level. "I can't believe it! I'm really doing it."

"I knew you could," Tara grinned, feeling just as excited as Willow. "I told you it was easy. You're a natural."

"The same way you levitated it," Tara explained. "Only you need to concentrate a bit harder."

Tara looked at the floating pencil, and focused her energy. She concentrated for a moment, and then slowly began to spin it in place. "Like this," she told Willow softly. "You focus on the way you want it to move, and use your energy to set it in motion. See how it's spinning...?"

"Well, I mixed my energy with the pencil's, and guided it in a circle. The energy surrounding the pencil will keep doing what I've told it to, as long as my energy remains focused. I don't have to focus on it exclusively, but it will react to any change in my emotions. If I become erratic, then the energy will follow... you get what I mean?"

"I dunno," Willow ventured. "You think I can? I've never even floated anything before; do you really think I can spin a pencil?"

"I know you can," Tara said confidently. "I can sense your energy, remember. You have a lot of power."

Spurred on by her teacher's confidence, Willow looked at the floating pencil, and focused her thoughts. Mix with the pencil's energy; guide it... spin it...

Less than a minute later, the pencil was once again spinning in mid-air; only this time it was Willow's energy guiding it.

"I did it!" Willow exclaimed, turning to face Tara. "I really did it!" She was so excited, that she instinctively reached for her teacher, and wrapped her arms around her neck. "Thank you," she told her excitedly, tightening her hold.

Tara moved her own hands to Willow's back, and closed her eyes; she was so proud of her student. "I knew you could do it," Tara whispered into Willow's ear.

The girls held each other close for about a minute, before they both realized the hug was lasting just a tad bit longer than was appropriate. With one mind, they slowly let go of one another, and looked shyly into each other's eyes.

"Thanks," Willow said again, choosing to ignore her erratic pulse... the flush in her cheeks... and why it felt so good to be in Tara's arms... I'm just excited coz of the pencil, she told herself. What else could it be?

"You're the one who did it," Tara replied, forcing down her own reaction. "I'm... I'm so proud of you," she said softly.

Willow blushed at Tara's words, feeling pleased with them. She couldn't believe how much she'd accomplished with only one lesson from Tara. The girl was the best teacher she'd ever had. What's more, Tara made her feel like she could do anything. She was simply amazing.

"You're amazing," Willow spoke her thoughts. "You're the best teacher I've ever had."

Tara blushed, and smiled in response, dropping her head downwards. She wasn't used to being complimented, and was now using her hair to cover the blush in her cheeks.

"We should celebrate," Willow continued. "We're all going to the Bronze tonight. You wanna come?"

"It's the local nightclub," Willow explained. "We usually hang out there every night, and then we patrol for a bit. I'd love it if you'd come with me..."

Tara wasn't sure if she liked the idea of going to a nightclub. She wasn't a big fan of large crowds... but if Willow was gonna be there...

"Great," Willow exclaimed, leaping off the bed. "I'll go home and change, and then I'll come back to pick you up in about two hours. How's that? It should give you enough time to grab some dinner, and shower and stuff..."

With that, Willow quickly laced up her shoes and grabbed her book-bag. She then located the two books Tara had given her to read, before heading towards the door.

Tara merely pointed towards the still-spinning pencil—which was now moving at an alarmingly high speed. "You might wanna stop this first," she chuckled.

"Oh," Willow grinned, realizing she'd forgotten all about it. Her excitement had obviously caused the energy surrounding the pencil to become somewhat erratic. "I guess I forgot about it," she said ruefully, as she focused on the pencil. It only took her a moment to relinquish her energy, and allow the pencil to fall back to the bed.

Willow smiled at her teacher's praise, as a blush covered her cheeks. "Thank you," she whispered. "So, anyway," she continued, moving towards the door. "I'll, uh... I'll see you in a couple of hours...?"

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A Fluke Between Two Wiccans

By SpikeMe4Now4200

Copyright © 2003

Spikeme4now4200@yahoo.com.au