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?

Tara looked up nervously when she heard the knock on her door. She'd spent the past hour going through all the clothes she owned, doing her best to find something to wear. Nothing seemed appropriate though—not for a nightclub. She'd finally decided on a pair of pale blue jeans, and an emerald-green blouse. Hopefully she didn't look like too much of a dork.

With that thought, she quickly finished applying her lipstick, and moved to let Willow in. Tara was a little startled however, to open the door and come face to face with not only Willow, but Xander and Oz as well. Doing her best to remain calm, she smiled shyly at the two guys, and then rested her gaze upon the girl she'd been nervously waiting for.

"Hi," she said softly, taking a moment to look over her new friend. Willow was wearing a pair of pale blue jeans—similar to her own, and an endearing red top with a picture of a large flower on the front. She looked simply adorable in Tara's mind, and it was all the blonde Wiccan could do not to tell her so.

She still wasn't totally comfortable around the young man. She could tell he was a nice guy—being Willow's boyfriend and all...but her instant crush on Willow made her feel a little guilty. Here she was, spending time with this guy's girlfriend, harboring a secret crush on the girl, and yet she had the gall to actually look this guy in the face, to smile at him, and even to accompany them all for a night out. What was she thinking? Didn't she have any morals—any decency? Maybe I should just fake a headache and stay home...?

Tara nodded in response. Willow's words made all her thoughts of backing out disappear. How could she refuse the chance to spend some time with Willow? The girl looks so adorable...so cute. I don't wanna disappoint her now...do I? She did ask me to come after all...It would be rude of me to refuse...right?

"I, uh...I th-think so," she stammered out, still not sure if she was doing the right thing.

"Great," Willow replied, grinning madly. She didn't know why she was so excited—she went to the Bronze all the time...and yet...this time Tara was coming along. Why should that make things different? "It shouldn't take us long to get there," Willow continued, as Tara stepped outside and closed the door behind her, "not with Oz driving..."

Xander smiled at the young blonde, doing his best to look attentive. He was genuinely interested in Tara's response...well, interested on a personal level anyway. When he'd seen Cordy this morning at school—all his worst fears had been realized. Their meeting had been so awkward, and uncomfortable, and he was now almost positive she'd found someone else. Well, he thought to himself as they rounded the student lounge, if Cordy's found someone, then I might as well too...and this Tara chick is kinda cute—and she's a college gal, and...and...I'll show Cordy. Two can play at this game.

"Started classes yet?" Xander ventured, in an attempt to strike up a conversation. If he was gonna come on to the girl, he'd have to put on his friendly-hat...use all his charm. He knew he had a bit of it somewhere...

Tara smiled back at Willow's oldest friend, thinking how nice he seemed. No wonder he and Willow are best friends, he's definitely got a 'nice-guy' vibe about him.

"So you're still on holidays? Must be cool..." he trailed off as they reached a set of doors. What better way to impress a gal, then by acting the role of a gentleman?

With that thought, Xander moved to open one of the doors. "Ladies..." he grinned, motioning outside with his hand as he glanced first at Willow, and then at Tara. He gave the blonde an extra long look, and was pleased to notice the instant blush in her cheeks. It means she likes me, he thought to himself. Right? He couldn't be sure though—he'd never been very good at reading a girl. Although—judging from her shyness, maybe he did stand a chance with this blonde cutie...

Willow was oblivious to the look Xander had given Tara, as she and Oz stepped outside—hand in hand. However, she would've been blind not to notice once she'd turned around. Tara was now heading towards her, while Xander looked on with a glint in his eye, and a smile on his lips. She knew that look well—that was her best friend's 'prowl-look.' She'd never forget the first time she'd noticed that look. It was during their sophomore year—when Buffy had first arrived. Xander had taken one look at the Slayer, and fallen head-first into a massive case of unrequited attraction.

She would've felt sorry for him, if she herself hadn't already been suffering from the same thing for years. It served him right, she'd figured. At least now he knew how it felt to be madly in love with someone and have them notice you only as a friend. She herself would never be as blind as Xander had been. Willow prided herself in being a very perceptive person and she was almost certain that if a friend of hers ever had romantic feelings for her, she'd definitely notice it...right...?

"I think Xander's got a thing for your new friend," Oz whispered into Willow's ear—also having noticed the young man's look.

Willow turned to her boyfriend and smiled softly at him. She didn't know how to react to Xander's obvious interest in Tara. For some reason the idea of Xander and Tara made her feel a little uneasy. Why was that? She definitely liked Tara more than she liked Cordy—so why the unease? She chose to ignore the feeling though, and responded to her boyfriend's observation.

"I think you're right," she whispered, as Tara began walking towards them. "Only I don't think he really knows what he's doing..."

"Cordy," Willow explained. "Confusion...summer...he doesn't know where they stand, and you know Xander...I think he wants to get back at Cordy, or..." She trailed off as Tara and Xander reached their side—not wanting her words to be overheard. "Hey," she greeted instead.

Willow's actions did not go unnoticed by Tara. She'd seen how cozy Willow and Oz appeared—whispering to one another, acting all couple-y, and she couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable about it. She knew she didn't stand a chance with Willow—that they'd never be more than just friends—but that didn't stop her from feeling the way she did. If only she could get over her crush...

"Hey," she forced herself to reply. It wouldn't do to let on how she felt. Friendship was all Willow would ever offer her, and she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize it. Hopefully, she'd get over her crush eventually; she just had to keep her emotions in check until she did.

"Let's go," Xander said eagerly, as he came up behind Tara. "I can't wait to show you my sexy dance moves."

Tara blushed, caught off guard by Xander's flirting. She smiled shyly at him, and then instinctively looked to Willow for some help. "D-d-dance?" she asked the redhead nervously. "There's g-g-gonna be d-d-dancing?"

Willow smiled tenderly at the blonde, as they all began walking towards Oz's van. "Only if you want to," she said reassuringly. "We usually just sit and listen to the music."

"Oh..." Tara replied, feeling a little better. Sure, she liked to dance, but she was afraid that Xander would ask her...and she didn't really have the heart to refuse him, but if she didn't, then she'd give him the wrong impression. Besides, hadn't Willow said Xander already had a girlfriend? Why was he flirting with her? Hopefully he's just being friendly...I'm probably over-reacting. It's not like I have that much experience with the whole social thing. Who knows, most guys probably act like Xander, and it doesn't have to mean anything...

"Don't worry about it," Willow continued, as they neared her boyfriend's van. "You don't have to dance if you don't want to. I think Bellylove is playing tonight, and they're usually not that great to dance to. Slow dance, maybe—"

"Our thing," Oz interrupted, giving his girlfriend a knowing smile, before pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

As their lips parted, Willow smiled fondly at her boyfriend. Instantly, her skin began to tingle, and she was surprised to sense a kind of electricity in the air around her. She turned her head towards Tara—to ask the girl if she sensed it too—but stopped herself. The electric sensation seemed to be coming from none other than Tara herself, and Willow couldn't help but wonder why.

"I'm f-f-fine," Tara stammered, surprised by the girl's question. "W-w-why do you ask?"

"You did?" Tara exclaimed with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she was a little scared that Willow would realize why her energy had become erratic—but on the other hand, she couldn't help but be proud of her student. The girl had sensed a change in her energy—that's quite an accomplishment for a novice witch, new to the Craft.

"Yeah," Willow answered her teacher's question. "I, uh...I felt a zing, and then I sensed it coming from you, and I..."

"I'm f-fine Willow," Tara insisted. "I guess I'm just a b-b-bit excited," she covered. "I've n-never been to-to the Bronze before and..."

"Nuff said," Willow grinned, as they finally reached Oz's van. She quickly let go of his hand, as he moved to unlock the van.

"N-n-no," Tara replied, turning to look at the flirtatious young man. "I-I, uh...I j-just got here the other w-w-week. I haven't had, um...m-m-much of a chance to g-g-go anywhere..."

"Well, you're gonna have fun tonight," Xander quipped, as he moved to enter the van.

Tara blushed, and followed his lead, taking a seat next to him in the back, while Willow took a seat in the front next to her boyfriend.

Willow and Tara were sitting together on a couch, as they listened to the sounds of Bellylove crooning in the background. They'd been at the Bronze for about an hour, and were now waiting for the guys to get back with another round of sodas.

"We come here all the time," Willow interjected. "It's like the only cool place in Sunnydale..." she frowned as a thought came to her. "Although...I guess that's why there's always a lot of vampiric activity here..."

"Usually," Willow began, before noticing Tara's reaction, "but don't worry though," she reassured, "I haven't sensed any near us...but then again I'm not the Slayer, so—I guess I can't really sense them...but..."

Willow trailed off as she noticed Oz and Xander coming towards them. "Hey," she greeted the guys. "Drinks!"

Xander extended his hand towards Tara. "One coke, coming right up." He grinned as Tara took the cup. He could see his entendre had not gone unnoticed, and was pleased to realize that he was responsible for the blush in Tara's cheek.

Oz took a seat on one side of the couch—next to Willow, while Xander plonked himself down next to Tara.

"So," Xander began, "Will tells me you've been showing her a lot about the magicks?"

"That's gotta be cool," he continued. "What kindsa stuff do you know how to do? Can you turn people into frogs?" He grinned at Willow as he asked his last question. "The Willster here was afraid you'd—"

Xander chuckled, and chose to ignore his best-friend's plea. "Will here has a fear of frogs..."

Willow frowned and glared at her friend. "I do not," she insisted, moving her gaze to meet Tara's. "I just...well, I just don't like 'em...that's all..."

Tara giggled at the childlike pout on Willow's lips. "You don't like frogs?" she asked her gently.

Tara gave Willow a warm smile, letting the girl know it was okay. Willow smiled back, and instantly began to feel better.

"So, anyway," Xander continued, oblivious to the connection between the young Wiccans, "like I was asking—can you turn people into frogs?"

Tara forced herself to look away from Willow, so as to answer Xander's question. "I'm n-not that p-p-powerful," she explained to the young man. "That kind of stuff is dangerous—dark magick, and I...I d-d-don't re-really like to call on the d-d-dark m-m-magicks."

"Good to hear," Xander grinned. "Last thing we need is another witch who likes to change us into small animals. Did you know, Amy once turned Buffy into a rat—"

"Yeah," Willow interrupted, "but that was only after you blackmailed her into doing a love spell for you, remember?"

"I didn't think anything would go wrong though," Xander replied defensively. "I just wanted Cordy to..."

He trailed off, as thoughts of Cordelia washed over him—thoughts of his girlfriend with various good-looking cabana boys. She was kissing them, laughing with them—laughing at him...

He sighed, and leaned back against the couch, letting Bellylove's depressing ballad soothe him.

No, he wasn't okay—he missed Cordy. "I'm fine Will," he sighed. What he needed, was someone to dance with—someone to help him forget about Cordy. With that thought, he turned to the blonde sitting next to him, and placed his hand on her knee.

"I-I-I," Tara stammered, suddenly feeling like she'd been cornered. She'd been afraid of this. "I d-d-don't...I...I think I hav-have to go to the, um...to the bathroom." With that, she leapt off the couch, and headed towards the nearest restroom.

"Nice going Xander," Willow let out, feeling strangely annoyed. The sight of Xander's hand on Tara's knee had left an unsettling feeling in her stomach. Why was that? "See what you've done?" she continued.

"I think you embarrassed her," Willow replied. "I don't think she's used to all this attention and you did kinda come on a bit strong." She stood up and turned to face her best friend, and her boyfriend. "I'm gonna go see if she's okay."

Oz simply smiled in agreement, while Xander looked up ruefully. He still didn't know how he'd embarrassed the girl though. I'll just have to apologize, he told himself, for whatever it is I've done. Man, I'll never understand women!

Willow entered the restroom, desperate to find Tara. She couldn't believe how flirtatious Xander had been, or how annoyed she was with him. For some reason, she felt kinda protective towards Tara—and watching Xander's interaction with her, had grated on Willow's nerves in a very unsettling way.

"Tara, are you okay?" She asked, moving to stand next to her friend. The girl was just standing in front of the washroom mirror, taking deep calming breaths—using a relaxation technique Willow had read about yesterday.

"You don't seem fine," Willow returned. "I know Xander was being a bit much, and I'm sure he's sorry. He doesn't mean to act like that—it's just his nature, and..."

"I just...I'm...I d-d-don't w-w-wanna hurt his f-f-feelings. H-he's a n-n-nice guy, but I..."

She trailed off, unsure whether or not to proceed. She knew Willow was a decent, open-minded person, but a part of her was still afraid of the reaction she'd receive once the girl found out the truth about her. It's not like she hadn't already come out at home, and she would inevitably come out here too...but was now the right time?

Well...poor Xander would continue to believe she was rejecting him—and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. She'd never been attracted to guys, she didn't know why, she just hadn't. It was yet another thing that made her different from the people around her, so she'd come to accept it as given—just like her magick. Besides, no guy had ever expressed an interest in her before, so it had never been a problem.

Although, if she didn't reveal who she really was to these people, then she could never hope to have a real friendship with any of them. Well okay, so she wasn't gonna go and reveal the whole demon thing to em...but this was different. That part of her nature wouldn't even be an issue for another year or so, and who knows...maybe she'd find a cure for it by then...a way to bypass it. This was Sunnydale after all, and she'd heard of stranger things happening...

"You can tell me," Willow told her friend softly, sensing her struggle. "Whatever it is..."

"I'm...I'm n-n-not interested in g-g-guys..." she whispered, as she dropped her gaze to the floor and used her hair to cover her face, "I mean I...I l-l-like girls m-m-more, and I d-d-don't w-w-wanna hurt his f-f-feelings, but I...I w-wasn't sure if I could, um..."

"Come out to us?" Willow surmised. The girl's revelation had caught her a little off guard.

Tara was gay...the girl she'd instantly connected with was gay. What did it all mean? Tara was interested in girls...did that mean she was interested in her? Of course not! Just because a girl was gay, didn't mean she was interested in all girls. Although, why didn't it bother her—the idea that Tara might be interested in her? Deciding not to answer her confusing questions, Willow figured she was simply stoked the girl had told her...that she trusted her enough to reveal her sexuality. That's the only reason her stomach had butterflies in it...right?

Tara nodded in response to Willow's question, still scared to meet her gaze. What had possessed her to be so open about her sexuality? She wasn't ready for the look of revulsion she was sure to see in her friend's eyes. To her surprise however, Tara felt Willow's hand come to rest on her shoulder. Tentatively, she looked up slowly, and was even more surprised by the affection and understanding she saw in the redhead's eye.

"I'm glad you told me," Willow said softly. "Don't worry though, I won't tell anyone..."

"Oh no," Tara shook her head. "It's, um...it's n-n-not a s-s-secret. I just, um...I f-f-find it hard to t-talk to p-people. I mean, I can t-t-talk to you, but..."

Willow beamed at Tara's words. The girl felt comfortable talking to her. This thought pleased her immensely. "You want me to tell Xander to back off?"

Tara smiled. "I, um...I d-don't w-wanna hurt his feelings, but it's so h-hard to-to..."

"Don't worry about it," Willow replied. "He's used to rejection—developed a pretty thick skin by now too."

"Totally," Willow replied, giving Tara's left shoulder a gentle squeeze with her right hand.

Tara closed her eyes at the touch, but opened them up immediately. Now that she'd revealed she was gay—it became even more important to be on constant alert. She was desperate to hide her secret crush from Willow. Much as the girl seemed understanding, she probably wouldn't understand, or accept the feelings she had for her. This was just something Tara would have to learn how to live with.

As the two Wiccans made their way back to the guys, Willow turned towards Tara and smiled adoringly. She felt even closer to Tara now. The very fact that Tara had felt comfortable enough to reveal she was gay—spoke volumes to Willow. It showed her how much Tara trusted her, and Willow decided then and there, that she'd never do anything to break that trust. Not consciously anyway.

Xander looked up as Willow and Tara approached them. "Hey Tara," he said softly. "I'm, uh...sorry I..."

Tara flashed Xander a huge smile, as she and Willow reclaimed their seats. "It's okay," she reassured, turning to face him head on. "You didn't d-d-do anything, um...wr-wrong."

"I get it," Xander interrupted, grinning widely at the girl. "I was too pushy...my bad. You're not interested, I get it...rejection—old friend, how I've missed you..." he chuckled.

Tara giggled at his playfulness, feeling herself relax a little. She looked up at Willow, and the girl smiled knowingly at her.

"It's still a blow to the ego though," he pouted mockingly. "First Cordy, and now you..."

"Xander, I..." Tara began, feeling the need to reassure the guy slightly. She didn't want him to feel bad about her lack of interest. Maybe she should just tell him? "It's n-n-not you..."

Xander chuckled, before she could continue. "I know, I know," he grinned. "I've heard it before—know it well..."

"But..." Tara protested, realizing she'd gone about it the wrong way. "Wh-what I m-m-m-mean is, I...I..." She turned to Willow for help, not sure of how to proceed.

As Willow met her friend's gaze, she could see the distress in her eye. It almost felt as if she was asking for her help..."Want me?" Willow asked.

Willow instantly realized how her words must've sounded, and could feel her own cheeks burning up. "I mean...to-to t-tell him," she stammered, giving Tara a shy smile.

"Tell me what?" Xander piped up, alternating his glance from Willow and then to Tara. He then glanced at Oz, wondering if he knew what was going on, but the young werewolf merely shrugged his shoulders.

"She's gay," Willow explained, locking her eyes with Tara's. She wanted to know if it was all right for her to have said that, and at the girl's soft smile, she knew she'd done the right thing.

Xander turned towards the blonde, and looked at her with new understanding. He wasn't too sure how he felt about the whole gay-thing, but it did make him feel a little better—knowing it wasn't him she was rejecting, but males in general.

"So you're gay huh?" he asked, deciding to be glib about it. "You have a girlfriend?" he continued, liking the idea more, and more. He wouldn't mind watching this blonde make out with...

"Xander," Willow leaned across Tara, and gently punched his arm. She knew him well enough to recognize his look. "Keep your mind out of the gutter," she grinned.

"A guy can dream, right?" He grinned, rubbing his arm in mock pain. "So, do you?" He turned back to face Tara.

Tara could feel the blush in her cheeks deepening; she wasn't used to being so open about her sexuality. In fact, she wasn't used to all this attention either. People were talking with her for once, not at her, or about her, and it would take some time getting used to.

"That's too bad," Xander replied. "Hey, maybe we can find you one tonight," he continued, a smirk coming to his lips. "I bet there's plenty of girls around here who'd date you," he turned his head towards the dance floor, looking over the crowd for a suitable candidate. "I'll help you find one," he offered graciously.

Tara wasn't sure if Xander was being serious or not, but either way, her embarrassment was increasing. She couldn't believe what was happening. Here she was, sitting in a crowded nightclub, openly discussing her love life with near-strangers. Sunnydale sure was different from home...

"Stop that Xander," Willow piped up, noticing Tara's reaction. The girl looked like she wanted a hole in the ground to swallow her up—she was that embarrassed. "You're embarrassing Tara. Just coz you wanna see two girls make out, doesn't give you the..."

"I was just trying to be helpful," he defended, flashing Tara a huge smile. "Didn't mean to embarrass you," he finished off gently, realizing Willow was right. The girl seemed almost physically distressed as she stared at the ground.

Tara looked up slowly, acknowledging the guy's apology. "It's okay," she said softly. "I'm j-just n-n-not used to, um...so m-m-much at-attention."

Tara nodded eagerly, returning the guy's smile. A change of subject would be good. It would give her time to compose herself, and maybe shrink into the background and just listen to what they were saying. She never did feel comfortable around large groups.

"I wonder what she's doing right now," Willow pondered, deciding to change the subject herself. She could see how uncomfortable Tara was, and figured she'd give her some space.

Xander was about to agree, when he noticed Cordelia enter the club with a few of her friends. "No," he began, "I know what we need..."

What's that? Willow wondered, following Xander's gaze. She sighed when her eyes fell on Cordelia, realizing what he had in mind.

"It's not that," she began, "well, actually it is that...sort of. You see, Cordelia's like this way popular prom-queen type person, and ever since grade school, she's made it her job to pick on me."

"Although, now that she's dating Xander—or was dating him, she's been a lot nicer, and she's even a part of the Scooby gang..."

Willow smiled at her friend. "It's what we call ourselves," she explained. "We're the Scoobies—we help Buffy out with research, and..."

Tara chuckled, understanding the reference. "I get it," she interrupted. "It's cute."

"We should go now," Xander ventured. "I'll let 'her highness' know what the plan is, and we'll meet you at your van."

A minute later, Xander and Cordelia had made their way to Oz's van—where the rest of the Scoobies were waiting for them.

"Hey guys," Cordelia greeted the gang, her eyes falling to rest on Tara. "Who are you?" she demanded, before turning towards Xander. "Is this your demon-girl-of-the-month?" she asked him. "You've replaced me with someone who looks like she does all her shopping at the Salvation Army? I knew you were desperate, but I didn't know you'd sunk so low as to..."

Tara was startled by Cordelia's choice of words. Demon-girl? Why did she call me demon-girl? Does she know...how could she know? What's going on here...? She was just joking...right? Yeah, it's a joke... Tara did her best to reassure herself that Cordelia's words meant nothing, but she couldn't hide the look of distress on her face—not from Willow anyway.

"Hey," Willow interrupted the bitchy prom-queen—noticing her friend's reaction. "Leave Tara alone. She's a really powerful witch, and if you're not careful she'll..."

"Oooh, I'm shaking," Cordelia replied mockingly. "And how come you're defensive girl? Is she like you're girlfriend or something? What? Oz not cutting it for you anymore?"

Tara blushed at Cordelia's words, realizing why Willow disliked the girl so much. Cordelia sure was a little overbearing, no...more like forthright. Tara couldn't really sense anything inherently bad emanating from her. What's more, she didn't like to judge people until she knew them better...not everything was always as it appeared to be.

Willow just glared at Cordelia, refusing to let the girl see how furious she was getting. Although, she too couldn't help blushing a little at Cordelia's words. Tara as her girlfriend... Why did that have a strangely pleasant ring to it? Willow forced down her thoughts, not wanting to dwell in her confusion. She wasn't gay, so why even harbor thoughts of her and Tara together...?

"She's like Willow's magick teacher," Xander explained. "She doesn't have a girlfriend at the moment...although I did see this one girl who'd be perfect for her. She was moving towards the dance floor as we were..."

"You have a problem with that?" Willow asked defensively, her mood shifting drastically. Her protective nature had suddenly kicked in, and if Cordelia thought she would get the chance to say another bad thing about Tara, then she was sorely mistaken.

Realizing she'd gone too far, Cordelia decided to back off a bit. She'd never seen Willow look this angry before. "No problem here," she smiled, turning her head towards Oz. "So, you gonna drive me home or what? I can't go out on patrol in this dress...it's an original. I have to change into my Rambo gear if you want me to..."

"Not a problem," Oz interrupted, moving to unlock the passenger side of his van.

An hour later, Willow, Tara, Oz, Xander, and Cordelia, were walking along a path at the cemetery. Tara was quite nervous, she'd never been on a vampire hunt before, and the idea of facing a blood-sucking fiend terrified her. Willow had offered to take her home first, but she'd insisted on coming with them. She didn't want to look like a coward in front of Willow, and besides—she still didn't like the idea of Willow patrolling for vampires every night. However, if she came along—then at least she could keep an eye on her, do her best to make sure nothing happened to Willow.

"Why do I have to be bait?" Cordelia whined, as they continued walking. "I'm always bait. Why can't Willow be bait?"

"He's already seen Willow," Xander pointed out. "And could you complain louder so that all the vampires leave?"

"We're not using her as bait," Willow said vehemently. "She's never seen a vampire before, she might get hurt."

"Willow's right," Oz agreed. "She wouldn't know what to do. You've got experience." He stopped walking as they came upon a wide clearing, with bushes surrounding it. "I think this is a good spot. Is everyone packing?"

Xander pulled out a stake, while Willow pulled out both a cross and a stake, and handed the cross to Tara.

Everyone split up and moved to hide in separate directions. Willow motioned to Tara to come with her however. This was Tara's first time on patrol, and she didn't want the girl to get hurt.

Tara blushed at Willow's concern. "Okay," she replied, as they made their way towards one of the bushes, leaving Cordelia completely out in the open.

Cordelia looked around the exposed clearing, and decided to follow Xander. She didn't like being bait. "I'm doing this for Buffy's sake," she told him. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Yeah," Xander began sarcastically, "like I needed that cleared up." He paused when he reached a suitable hiding spot. "Go away," he told her. "This is my hiding spot."

"You don't hide," he sighed. "You're bait," he waved his arms around, "go act bait-y."

Willow sighed again. If they keep this up, I'll stake 'em myself. She turned to face Tara and rolled her eyes, letting the girl know her frustration.

"Oh, that's right," Xander let out indignantly, "I forgot. We actually want to bury that piece of the past. Don't we?"

"Let me ask," he continued, ignoring her look, "how long did it take you to forget me? Were you still taxiing down the runway, or was it actually in the cab?"

"Oh, yeah...!" Cordelia yelled out. "Mr. Faithful? You probably met up with some hot little Inca Mummy Girl. Yeah! I heard about her."

Willow and Tara were so preoccupied watching the couple's argument, that they hadn't noticed the vampire Andrew (who'd gotten away from them the previous night), had begun to sneak up behind them.

Tara looked on in shock, as the blood-sucker attacked her student. She had no idea what to do, but the sight of Willow in trouble spurred her on. She stopped thinking, and all her instincts kicked in. Ignoring the fear in her veins, she pressed her cross to the vampire's back, causing him to let go of Willow as he arched in pain.

"Aaaaargh," he growled at Tara, deciding to lunge for her instead. "You'll pay for that."

Tara instinctively began to run as the vampire chased after her—all the while muttering a few choice Latin words under her breath. She then turned around as a veil of smoke escaped from her fingers—clouding the vamp's sight.

Andrew rubbed at his eyes, while Tara doubled back so that she could help Willow up off the ground. She put the girl's arm around her shoulder, guiding her up so they could make their escape. They were too slow however, and Andrew had quickly turned back after them.

He was almost upon them, when Oz lunged at him from the side. The young werewolf had heard his girlfriend's screams, and had instantly rushed towards them. He reached out with his stake, but the vamp was too powerful, and pushed him to the ground.

Willow and Tara turned back at the commotion, and instantly rushed to Oz's side. Xander meanwhile had decided to lend his hand, and was now struggling with the vamp, as Andrew pushed him to the ground. Needing to help, Cordy decided to launch a back-end attack, and leapt on top of Andrew. This served to push the vamp down onto the stake in Xander's hand, causing him to crumble into a pile of ash.

Looking down at Xander, Cordelia felt a huge rush of emotion wash over her. Xander felt it too, and within seconds, they reached for each other, and fused their lips together passionately. This was where they belonged, and it felt so good to be in each other's arms again—especially after all that sexy danger.

Willow and Tara turned back from the sight of the love-birds reunion, as they helped Oz up off the ground.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked the young man softly, genuinely concerned. He'd done his best to save them from the vampire, and she hoped he wasn't hurt.

Oz ran his hands down his sides, dusting off the dirt. "Yeah," he smiled at the blonde. "No big. Just a little bruised."

Oz smiled at his girlfriend, and reached for her hands. "I'm fine Will," he said softly, placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

Willow smiled back, and then turned towards Tara. "That was some spell," she said, as Oz let go of her hands, and wrapped them around her waist—hugging her from behind. "You gotta teach it to me..."

Tara grinned at Willow's enthusiasm. "Okay," she replied. "W-w-when you're r-r-ready."

"Cool," Willow smiled, realizing Tara was right. "Anyway," she continued, "you gotta come on patrol with us from now on. Your magick's amazing, and with spells like that—who needs a Slayer?"

Tara's smile widened, and her blush deepened. She'd never been part of a group before, and couldn't help feeling pleased.

"Yeah," Oz agreed. "Welcome to the gang." He smiled at the shy blonde, before continuing. "So, ready to head back?"

"Okay," Tara replied, turning her gaze towards Xander and Cordelia. "B-b-but what about th-them?"

With that, they quickly made their way to Oz's van, where he proceeded to drop off first Tara, and then Willow, before heading off home himself.

All in all, it had been a very productive night, he thought. Although, a part of him couldn't forget the revelation that Tara was gay. He could see the connection between her and Willow, and his Wolfie-senses tingled whenever the two girls looked at one another. However, as far as he knew—Willow was not gay, and she wasn't the type to cheat on him. He'd just have to trust her...

Willow and Tara were sitting on Tara's bed the next day, as Willow practiced her energy control. Tara had set the task of maneuvering a pencil around the room—controlling its every movement. She wanted Willow to master the ability of controlling her energy, so that when she did finally attempt something more powerful, she wouldn't accidentally hurt herself or anyone else.

Control was a big part of magick—and everything had to remain in complete balance. That's why concentration was also important, which is why Tara had given her that book yesterday. Willow needed to keep her mind clear of all thoughts, bar that of what she was trying to achieve. Later, when she became more adept at focusing her mind, she'd be able to consciously multi-task her thoughts, but for right now—complete concentration on only one thing at a time was her best bet.

That in itself was a hard thing to carry out—not many people could focus on only one thought for too long. Most people's thoughts tended to wander, and they became distracted, until they were no longer even aware of what they'd been thinking about to begin with. Once Willow had mastered the task, she'd expand to concentrating on only two things at once, then on three, until eventually, she'd be able to concentrate on as many thoughts as she wanted to—without letting her thoughts wander.

This way, she'd be in total control of her power, and of herself. Although, even Tara had yet to manage more than two simultaneously controlled thoughts at once. However, given Willow's innate magickal ability and intelligence, Tara was certain it wouldn't take the redhead long to master the skill.

"You're doing great Willow," Tara praised her student, as she brought the pencil back down to the bed. "You wanna try something even harder?"

Of course she did. Willow grinned at her teacher in response. "You have to ask?" she quipped.

Tara chuckled, before replying. "Well, it's not too much harder than what you've been d-doing. I just thought you might w-wanna try writing with the p-pencil." Tara stood up, and walked to where Willow had dumped her book-bag, and took out a notebook. "I'm gonna hold this up," she continued, opening the notebook to a blank page, "and I w-want you to write your name, address, and telephone number on it."

Tara knew how difficult the task would be, but she had every confidence in Willow. In fact, she had more confidence in Willow, than the redhead had in herself. Willow wasn't sure if she was ready to manipulate a pencil that strategically. She'd only just managed to master moving it around the room, but the look in Tara's eye spurred her on. Her teacher seemed to have no doubts about her abilities, and Willow wanted to make her proud.

"You can do it," Tara reassured, holding the book up to face Willow. "You ready?"

Willow nodded, taking a deep breath before she focused her energy. It didn't take her long to levitate the pencil off the bed. A few seconds later, she'd moved it slowly towards Tara, so that it was now hovering right in front of her notebook.

Tara smiled encouragingly, noticing Willow's sudden hesitation. "Just concentrate," she guided. "It's just like moving it around the room, only n-now you're using sm-smaller movements."

Taking another deep breath, Willow focused her energy, intermingling it with the pencil's. She could feel the energy pouring out of her body, as she concentrated on moving the pencil. Smaller movements, she reminded herself. Move the pencil slowly, focus your thoughts, and don't move it too fast. She was apparently doing something right, because a moment later, the pencil had made first contact with the paper, and was now slowly moving down as it drew the first line of the letter W.

Tara remained quiet, allowing Willow to focus in silence. She couldn't help beaming though—Willow was a natural. She'd known her student could do it, and as she finished the last stroke in the final W of her first name, Tara couldn't contain her elation any longer.

"I knew you could do it," Tara burst out, causing Willow's concentration to falter for a moment. This caused the pencil to cease it's writing, and fall to the floor—drawing a large line on the paper during its descent.

Willow sighed as she dropped the pencil, cursing her lack of control. I lose my concentration for one second, and...man, I'm totally hopeless...

"I'm sorry," Tara apologized, noticing the disappointment on Willow's face. "I-I st-startled you..."

Willow shook her head. "No, it's my fault. I should've been concentrating harder. I'm hopeless..."

Tara put the notebook down on her desk, and moved back towards the bed. She took a seat next to her student, and reached for her hands. "You're not hopeless Willow," she insisted, locking her eyes with the redhead's. "You just need to practice your concentration. Besides, this is the first time you've tried it, and it takes most people months to do what you did."

Tara grinned in response. "Really! I'm, uh...very proud of you...you pick things up so quickly."

"I do?" Willow replied, blushing at her teacher's words. She looked deep into Tara's eyes, and could see the sincerity behind them.

"You just n-need to practice," Tara continued, as she began to lose herself in Willow's gaze. The girl had the most enchanting green eyes, and the sensation of their linked hands...the warmth running through her body as Willow squeezed them...well, it was causing all sorts of sparkly sensations to run through her body.

"Practice," Willow whispered, wondering why her heart was racing, why the air in the room suddenly felt so thick, and why she couldn't tear her eyes away from Tara's.

Tara could only nod, as her breathing became heavy, and her thumbs began to unwittingly form small circles against the top of Willow's hand. "Yeah...practice..."

Willow sighed, taking in the sensation of Tara's touch. Mmm, she thought to herself. This feels so good...her skin is so soft...and her eyes...oh God, they're so beautiful...and she's proud of me...she thinks I'm a good student...

A sudden knock on the door startled the two girls, and they instantly unlinked their hands. Tara looked away quickly, as she leapt up to answer the door. She just hoped Willow hadn't noticed how flushed she'd gotten...how close she'd been to doing something catastrophic—like actually kissing her students lips...

Willow watched in silence, as Tara rushed for the door. She couldn't help but wonder why her breathing was so shallow, and why her skin felt all tingly from Tara's touch. It had to be a magick thing...transference of energy...right? What else could it be? She refused to answer the question though—the possible answers were just too improbable to contemplate...too confusing.

"Oz?" Willow looked up, surprised to see him here. "I thought we weren't going on patrol for another hour..."

Actually, dinner was just an excuse; a part of him had wanted to surprise his girlfriend. Ever since he'd found out Tara was gay, he simply couldn't shake the feeling that something might happen between the two Wiccans. He knew he was probably just being paranoid, and did his best to squelch his fears. However, he hadn't seen anything wrong in surprising his girlfriend...bringing around some dinner. It's not like he was checking up on her. He'd never do that...

"Mmm," Willow smiled, getting up off the bed, "a dinner bringing boyfriend," she quipped, taking the pizza box from him.

Oz moved to kiss her lips in greeting, but Willow had already turned around—moving to sit back on the bed. Willow knew her boyfriend had wanted to kiss her, but after the intense moment she'd just shared with Tara—a part of her had felt a little uncomfortable with allowing the kiss to take place. This confused Willow, but she forced the thoughts out of her mind. Now was not the time to think about this.

Oz felt a little disgruntled by what he took to be Willow's rejection, but decided not to make an issue out of it. He was just being too sensitive, he figured. He was already feeling wigged about Willow and Tara, and he was just projecting. That's all it was...there's nothing going on between them...right?

"Pencil floating," Tara answered, as she too made her way over to the bed. She took a seat next to Willow, and smiled at Oz. "She's getting really good at it."

Willow blushed, opening the pizza box and taking a slice—so as to hide her embarrassment. "Not really," she mumbled, as she took her first bite. "Mmm," she moaned, "nice pizza."

"Pepperoni and mushroom," Oz replied, taking a slice for himself, "your favorite."

Willow smiled at her boyfriend, before taking another bite. "Try some," she turned to Tara, "it's really good."

The blonde complied, and had to agree with Willow. "You're right," she smiled, "it's good pizza."

The three of them ate in silence for a while, as a weird uneasiness filled the room. Oz could sense that something had gone down between the two Wiccans—but he didn't know what. Furthermore, their shared moment made both girls feel a little guilty, but it was worse for Willow. The girl still wasn't quite ready to admit—or even acknowledge—that something had happened between her and Tara.

Willow was still in denial about her confusing reaction to the blonde Wiccan, and as such was even more confused as to why she felt guilty. All she knew was that Oz's presence in Tara's room didn't sit well with her, and she had no idea why she felt like that. No conscious idea anyway.

When the three teens had polished off all the pizza, they decided to make their way over to the Espresso Pump for something to drink. Caffeine always helped keep Willow pepped up during patrol, and Tara figured it'd do her some good as well.

Unlike last night, Xander had offered to play the role of bait, which is why all the Scoobies—sans Xander—were now keeping a low-profile in a back-alley near the Bronze. At the sound of what seemed like a struggle, Cordy picked up her walkie-talkie—which she'd gotten especially for her and Xander. If she had to go with the Rambo look—she might as well go all out.

The gang listened for a response, but when none was forthcoming, they began to get worried. Their worries were increased, as they heard the clash of trash cans.

Upon reaching the scene, they spied the vampire they were hunting, and noticed he was pinning a petite blonde girl against a fence. Willow, Tara and Cordelia moved towards the vamp, and dragged him off his victim. Mustering all their strength, they forced the demon into a steel roll-up door, slamming him as hard as they could.

The vamp wasn't too pleased with this, and made a dive for the girls. That's when Oz lunged at him with a stake, but the vamp was too powerful, and used a roundhouse kick to push the werewolf onto the ground. He landed right next to Xander, who'd obviously been thrown to the ground himself.

Turning around, the vamp made another move towards the girls, only this time Tara was ready for him. She'd already finished reciting the words of her spell, and was now holding her hands up as smoke poured out from them. This forced the vamp to become momentarily disoriented, which gave Willow the opportunity to get close to him. With all her force, she plunged the stake directly into his chest—effectively piercing his heart. She smiled as the vamp turned to dust, and moved to face her teacher.

The girls smiled at each other, as Cordelia made her way over towards Xander. "You okay?" She asked him softly.

Cordy's question brought Willow out of her daze, and she realized Oz was lying down on the ground as well. Tara realized it too, and the two Wiccans quickly moved towards the young werewolf's side.

"You okay Oz," Willow asked, offering a hand to help him up. Tara offered her own hand as well, and the two girls quickly helped the young man to his feet.

The petite blonde chose that moment to speak up. She'd been watching the proceedings in a state of shock, marveling at the efficiency of the group.

"Well done," she began, getting the attention of all the Scoobies. "I see you guys don't really need me around anymore," she quipped—only half joking.

"Buffy!?" Every one—but Tara and Xander, exclaimed. They were all surprised by the Slayer's presence.

Buffy made a point of glancing at everyone individually for a brief moment, until her gaze landed on the unfamiliar blonde. This girl was obviously a witch—but who was she, and when did she join the Scooby gang? There were definitely a lot of changes during her absence, and a part of her felt a little disgruntled by the gang's efficiency. She was the Slayer—the only one capable of effectively reducing the vampire population—so why did the gang have to be so good at it, without her no less? And who was this blonde witch? Was she dangerous? Had she put a spell on everyone—is that why they were so good with the Slaying?

"Oh," Tara blushed, feeling slightly intimidated. The girl talking to her was none other than The Slayer—a very powerful and important person, and Tara had never been good around authority figures. "I-I-I-I'm T-T-T-T-T-Tara..." She smiled at the Slayer, cursing her tendency to stutter when nervous.

Willow noticed the girl's uneasiness, and moved to her side. She smiled reassuringly at Tara, and grasped her hand. "My teacher of magicks," she explained to Buffy, squeezing Tara's hand gently. "She's a really powerful witch."

"So I've seen," Buffy replied. "Is she dangerous?" she turned to face Tara. "Are you dangerous?"

Tara shook her head vehemently, feeling slightly afraid. She wasn't dangerous in the slightest—unless you count the half-demon thing her dad had told her about...but that wouldn't become an issue for a while yet...

"She's not dangerous," Willow let out harshly, annoyed with the Slayer's question. How dare she ask that about Tara? She'd been gone all summer, hadn't even sent a single letter, ignored 'em all, not even cared enough to let 'em know she was still alive...and now she had the gall to question Tara...

Willow turned towards her new friend and teacher, and gave her a reassuring smile, as she squeezed her hand again. "Don't worry about her," she said softly. "Buffy's just doing the Slayer thing," she turned back to face Buffy, "which she wouldn't have to be if she'd been around all summer," she finished off sarcastically.

Buffy was taken aback by Willow's reaction. The girl seemed almost angry with her...she'd never seen Willow so defensive. Sure, she'd figured the gang would be a little upset with her, but she'd expected that they would've at least been happy to see her...

Noticing the awkwardness, Oz decided to break the silence. "Welcome back Buffy," he said, extending his hand towards the Slayer.

Buffy turned away from Willow, so as to greet Oz—deciding to let the girl's reaction go for now. "Hey Oz," she shook his hand.

The Slayer turned towards Cordelia and smiled in acknowledgement, before turning her gaze back to Willow. Her best friend was still looking slightly disgruntled with her, and it gave Buffy an uneasy feeling in her stomach. What had the world come to, when she got a friendlier greeting from Cordelia, than she did from her best friend? Maybe she shouldn't have come back after all...?

"So Buff," Xander spoke up, deciding it was his turn to break the tension. "You seen Giles yet?"

Buffy shook her head, "Not yet. I just got back a few hours ago...figured you guys might be at the Bronze, so..."

"Well, I'm sure he can't wait to see you," Xander interrupted. "Why don't we go there now...?"

Willow liked that idea. Giles had taken Buffy's absence really hard this whole summer, and he deserved some good news.

"Yeah," Willow voiced her thoughts. "Why don't we go and see Giles? I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know his Slayer is back." She gave Buffy a stern look. "He's been a real sour-puss this summer—all concerned and everything. You have no idea how worried he was. Every time the phone rang, or—or whenever he got rumors of you...I think he used up all his frequent flyer miles in one week, and...and..."

Tara could see how distressed Willow was getting—could see she was about to continue rambling on, so she gently squeezed her student's hand. "Will," she whispered to her. "It's okay..."

Willow paused at Tara's words, and smiled at the blonde, silently thanking her. "Sorry," she turned ruefully to Buffy, "I, uh...I guess I got carried away..."

All Buffy could do was nod. Willow's words had really cut into her—made her feel a little guilty. She hadn't realized how much her absence had affected Giles. She'd just assumed he'd miss her, but that he'd be okay—that he'd understand she needed some space, and that she'd be back eventually. Suddenly, she didn't really relish going over there.

"No dice," Xander exclaimed. "He'd never forgive us—knowing you were back, and not telling him...well...it just wouldn't be fair."

Oz nodded his head. "Xander's right. I can drive us all there in a few minutes."

"That's settled then," Willow continued, letting go of Tara's hand. She hadn't realized she'd held on to it the whole time...it's just that holding Tara's hand had felt so right, and a part of her hadn't wanted to let it go. "We're off to see Giles." With that, she began walking to where Oz had parked his van, not waiting for a response.

Tara quickly followed behind her, as did Oz and Cordelia. Xander gave one last smile to Buffy, before doing the same thing. Buffy watched in silence as the Scoobies headed towards Oz's van, and realized she didn't really have a choice in the matter. Taking a deep breath, she resigned herself to the situation, and quickly joined up with the group.

On their way to Giles' apartment, Tara had asked Oz to drop her off at her dorm. She realized that the reunion between a Slayer and a Watcher was a very intimate thing, and she somehow didn't feel comfortable being around to witness it. Willow had done her best to assure her it would be okay—that she was just as welcomed as any of them, but Tara had remained firm with her decision.

She was now lying on her bed, in total darkness, wondering what was happening at Giles'—wondering if Willow was okay. She'd sensed the conflicting emotions running through her friend when the Slayer had shown up. What's more, she remembered Willow's outburst the day they'd first met, and knew without a doubt, that the Slayer's return would now be causing more than a little angst for her young student.

Maybe she should call her—ask her if she was okay? For some reason, Tara couldn't shake the feeling that Willow was troubled. It was as if the connection she shared with the redhead transcended all physical boundaries. Glancing at her clock, she realized it was late—but it had only been an hour since she'd been driven back to her dorm, so Willow probably wasn't even home yet, let alone asleep...

Half an hour later, Tara still couldn't shake her uneasiness. With a soft sigh, she got out of bed, and headed towards the phone. She'd never get to sleep tonight—not unless she knew Willow was okay. Just as her hand reached for the receiver, Tara almost jumped out of her skin. The shrill ring coming from it had startled her immensely. Who could be calling her at this hour? She smiled as she answered her own question, and quickly picked up the receiver.

Willow was surprised to hear her name coming from Tara's lips. How had the girl known it was her? "How'd you know it was me?" she asked, voicing her thoughts.

"I was just about to call you myself," Tara admitted. "I figured you'd wanna talk about Buffy..."

Willow was completely taken aback by Tara's words. It was almost as if the girl had read her mind—as if their connection ran a lot deeper than she realized. What's more, Tara's obvious concern for her pleased Willow—gave her a very warm feeling.

Tara blushed at Willow's compliment. "N-not really," she said modestly. "I just re-remembered what you said the other day—how upset you were about Buffy, and I...I figured now that she was b-back, you'd, um...you'd f-f-feel all awkward, and...and w-w-want to t-talk about it..."

"You figured right," Willow replied—still in awe of her teacher's perceptiveness.

She'd hesitated at calling Tara, figuring she'd be asleep or something. However, she was just so upset, and her emotions were so tangled, that she'd been unable to resist. She desperately needed to talk to someone, and Tara was the only one she could think of. She knew the girl wouldn't mind—being the person she was, all kind and gentle, and understanding. That's why she'd forced down her guilt at calling so late, and before she knew what she was doing, she'd dialed Tara's number.

Tara grinned into the phone, before replying. "S-s-so," she ventured. "W-what hap-happened tonight?"

"We talked," Willow replied, "only...it was kinda, you know...uncomfortable. I had no idea what to say to her, and she-she wants to meet tomorrow, but I...I don't know if I can, and...and, I r-really missed her, but now that she's back..."

"You're angry..." Tara continued wisely, "you f-feel like she...she abandoned you?"

Willow was nodding her head vigorously now, marveling at Tara's perceptiveness. The girl should become a psychologist—she was totally in tune with human nature. Well, in tune with her nature anyway.

"She left," Willow sighed, "and now she expects things to be all fine and...and she didn't even apologize. She acts as if n-nothing's wrong and we can all pick up where we left off. She doesn't care that she's practically ruined our lives for the past three months...with the worry, and the slaying, and the worry...How could she not have called? Doesn't she know how to pick up a phone, or even write a letter? How hard is that? I can't believe anyone could be so selfish. She was my best friend, and she left...abandoned us...and why didn't she apologize? Doesn't she care about us? No! Of course she doesn't. She's the big all-mighty Slayer. The world revolves around her...we're just her sidekicks...good for a laugh when she's around, there to pick up the slack when she's gone...but not worthy enough to apologize to. I can't believe it. She's just so...so...insensitive...! Oh, God Tara...I missed her so much, I...I..."

Tara listened in silence, as Willow vented her emotions. She could tell the girl didn't really need any advice right now. All she needed was someone to talk to; someone who'd listen to her. It tore at Tara's heartstrings though—hearing the anguish in Willow's voice. She desperately wished the girl was here with her...that way she could comfort her...hold her close...envelop her with a calming energy...help her relax...

Willow stopped her rambling when she heard Tara whisper her name. She always loved how Tara spoke—all soft, and gentle, and calming. Tara was the gentlest person she'd ever met. "Mmmm?" she inquired. What did Tara want?

Willow furrowed her brow in confusion. Why was Tara asking her that? "Um, yeah..." she began hesitantly. "Why do you ask?"

Getting up off her bed, Willow returned the cordless to its handset, and switched the machine to speaker. "Here you go," she told the blonde, complying with her wishes—even though she didn't know the purpose behind it. How could she refuse her teacher anything?

"Thanks," Tara grinned, pleased with Willow's actions. She hadn't expected the girl to be so quick to do as she said—without even questioning her motives. It showed her how much Willow trusted her, and it left a very warm pleasant feeling in her chest.

"I want you to do something," Tara began, deciding it was time to fill Willow in on her idea. "It's gonna help you relax," she explained.

"Okay," Willow agreed, wondering what it was. "Go ahead and place your demand," she quipped. "I'm at your service."

Tara chuckled at Willow's words—pleased that despite her mood, the girl could still dish out a joke. "I'm gonna guide you," Tara informed her. "Help you relax..."

"You mean like meditation?" Willow asked, suddenly getting what Tara had in mind.

"Yeah," Tara confirmed. "A-a guided meditation. My...my mom used to do this with me whenever I got upset...whenever my dad..." she trailed off, realizing she was about to reveal too much. "Anyway, it um...it should help you c-calm down..."

"Okay," Willow grinned, moving towards her bed. She quickly pulled down the covers, and crawled under them. "I'm lying down now," she told her teacher. "Tell me what to do."

With that, Tara proceeded to guide her student into a state of calmness. She used the same technique her mom always did, and before long she could clearly hear Willow's steady breathing. The girl was asleep. That's why her mom always used this technique when her dad yelled at her...threatened her...hurt her...

After those moments, Tara would be shaking with fear—too scared to even go to sleep—which is where the mediation came in. She quickly became so relaxed, and so at peace, that she soon forgot about all her troubles, as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber. What's more, the next morning she'd wake up feeling totally refreshed, as if the night before hadn't even happened.

She was glad she'd managed to do the same for Willow. She hoped that by tomorrow, the girl's emotions would be a lot steadier, and that she'd be able to look at the situation with clearer eyes.

She chose not to hang up the phone, deciding instead to leave the connection open all night. She walked silently back to bed and crawled under the covers—falling asleep to the sweet sound of Willow's steady breathing in the background.

The next morning, it took Willow a moment to realize where the sound of calm, steady breathing was coming from. Tara had obviously left the connection open all night, and this brought a smile to Willow's face. She's so sweet, Willow thought to herself. She must've stayed on the phone so as not to wake me...now that's what I call thoughtful. She couldn't help feeling all warm and tingly at the thought of it.

Willow didn't really want to wake Tara up, but realized they couldn't leave their phone connection going all day. "Tara," she said softly, not wanting to startle the girl. "Can you hear me?" She waited a moment, before continuing. "Tara, it's um...it's me...Willow. Can you hear me?"

She could hear a soft rustling from the other end of the phone, letting her know that Tara was stirring. "Hey Tara," she spoke again. "Morning..."

Tara blinked a few times, taking a moment to register where Willow's voice was coming from. Oh, the phone...

"Yeah, well...thanks..." Willow insisted, feeling the need to express her gratitude.

It was then that Willow spied the clock on her bedside table, and realized how late it was. "Oh no," she sighed.

"I'm gonna be late for school," Willow replied. She leapt out of bed, moving immediately towards her closet, in a desperate attempt to find something to wear.

Tara smiled, listening in silence to the sound of Willow's frantic movements. "I should let you go..." she ventured, crawling out of bed.

Willow paused at Tara's voice. "Oh...yeah...I guess," she began slowly. "I'll see you this afternoon though...after school."

With that, Tara hung up the phone, and Willow quickly followed suit. She was left with a really warm feeling in her chest though—one which remained with her all day.

After school, Willow went straight to Tara's—despite having promised Buffy she'd meet her at the Espresso Pump. Even though Tara's little meditation thing had calmed her down a fair bit, she still felt a little uncomfortable about meeting with the Slayer. Besides, she reasoned with herself. Buffy hadn't even bothered to ask if she had plans—she'd just assumed she was free, practically demanded her company, as if they hadn't been estranged for the past three months. The Slayer didn't deserve her courtesy...not when she hadn't been courteous herself...

Although, a part of her couldn't help but feel a little guilty for deciding to stand her friend up. Maybe she should call...let her know she was busy...tell her they could meet another time...? But why should she? Did Buffy call during the three months she was gone? Did Buffy call to let her know she was okay...that she missed them...that she'd be back eventually? No! The Slayer hadn't called—she'd been too wrapped up in her own problems to care about the effect her actions had on her friends. It would serve her right—give her a taste of her own medicine...

As she knocked on Tara's door, Willow couldn't help but wonder if she was being too harsh on her friend. She knew the Slayer must've felt lousy about killing Angelus...and the whole 'wanted for murder' rap wouldn't have been a nice thought to have hovering over you. So why hadn't she talked to her about it? Didn't Buffy trust her? She would've loved to be there for her best friend, and it hurt her terribly that she wouldn't let her. Why did Buffy have to shut her out? What was so wrong with her, that her friends didn't even feel like they could talk to her? Sure, she might not understand exactly what Buffy was going through, but she didn't need to understand in order to be there for her.

"Hey Willow," Tara greeted her, bringing the redhead out of her thoughts. "How're you feeling?"

Willow smiled at her new friend, deciding then and there she'd never shut Tara out—not like Buffy always did with her. Knowing what it felt like to wanna help someone, and then be unable to, Willow didn't want anyone to feel that way—especially not Tara. Even though she'd just met the girl, she already felt as if they were good friends. It wasn't every day you met someone you instantly connected with...someone who'd listen to your pain...who'd comfort you...after only having known you a few short days. When you share a connection—like the one she shared with Tara—time was irrelevant. She didn't need to know this girl for years, to know she was a good person...to know she could be trusted, and to know they'd be friends. In fact, she could sense Tara felt the same way as well.

Tara stepped aside to let the redhead in, before closing the door. "What happened?" she asked.

Willow took a seat on Tara's bed, and waited for the girl to join her. She then turned around to face her new friend, before replying. "Nothing happened," she began, "...well, not exactly."

"The thing we did last night," Willow continued, "it um...it was incredible. I woke up feeling so...so...I dunno...refreshed. I still haven't thanked you for it...not properly...in person..."

Tara shook her head modestly. "It was nothing," she began. "I just w-wanted t-to help you f-f-feel better."

"You're still angry with her?" Tara asked softly, forcing herself not to caress Willow's cheek. She could see the intense emotion in her eyes, could sense the girl was on the brink of another explosion, and she desperately wanted to touch her...to relax her. It wouldn't be appropriate though—a hug if she was crying...maybe. A caress of the cheek for no reason...definitely not.

Willow shook her head in response. "Not angry exactly, more like...hurt. I just wish she wouldn't always shut me out, and...and I...I wanna be there for her, but how can I help her if she won't even talk to me? Don't get me wrong, I'm still upset that she left, but a part of me feels like it's my fault...maybe if I'd been a better friend..."

"No!" Tara exclaimed, giving in to her impulses. Without a second thought, she reached out with her hands, and gently cupped Willow's cheeks, locking their eyes together. "Don't s-s-say that." She told her. "You're a...a g-g-g-good friend," she insisted. "Buffy's prob-probably just one of th-those people who need to sort things out for themselves. N-not everyone likes to-to talk about their problems."

Willow looked into Tara's eyes as she spoke, unable to ignore the beating in her chest. The sensation of Tara's hands against her cheeks was having a very confusing effect on her. A positive effect mind you...one which caused her whole being to feel somewhat energized...and yet left her feeling as if she wanted something more. But what did she want? Forcing the sensations to the background, Willow did her best to focus on Tara's words.

The girl was right—Buffy just needed some alone-time. Although—wasn't Buffy over her whole 'I wanna be alone' stage? Hadn't she finally come back, asked her to meet so they could talk...? And what had she done? She'd stood her up, that's what. She really was a bad friend.

"Why do you say that?" Tara asked, unconsciously rubbing her thumbs over Willow's cheekbones.

Willow grinned sheepishly, her guilt rising to the foreground. "I, uh...I'm kinda supposed to meet up with her...like now."

Willow nodded. "I...I don't know what to say to her, and I...I'm a bad friend. She's gone all summer, and when she gets back...finally feels like talking...what do I do? I stand her up. I'm a bad, bad, friend...only I...I still don't wanna go. Is that terribly wrong? Am I the worst person ever for not wanting to meet with her...for not even letting her know I'm not gonna show up?"

"You're not a bad person Willow," Tara insisted. "I mean, it would've been nice of you to let her know you weren't gonna show up...but I think she'll understand. She knows it's gonna take some time for things to return to normal..."

"Does she?" Willow interrupted. "You don't know Buffy. She can be pretty clueless sometimes...I bet she thinks we can pick up right where we left off...she doesn't even care about what she's put us through..."

"Maybe you should tell her then," Tara suggested. "If she's as clueless as you say—maybe she didn't realize how much she hurt you..."

Tara's words made sense to Willow, and she wondered why she hadn't thought about it herself. "You're right," she smiled. "Maybe I should talk to her...?"

"Maybe..." Tara replied nonchalantly, not wanting to force the issue one way or another. She knew Willow would do the right thing eventually, but she didn't want to push her.

"You want me to come with you?" she offered. "I'll be like moral support. If you feel uncomfortable...I'll be there...make up a reason to-to leave, or...s-say something to-to ease the tension...if I can think of something..."

Willow thought about what Tara was suggesting, instantly liking the idea. "Okay," she grinned.

Suddenly realizing she was still cupping Willow's cheeks, Tara slowly released her hold on the girl—trying not to make a big show of it. She was a little embarrassed by her actions, but was comforted by the fact that Willow hadn't complained.

With that, the two Wiccans walked out of Tara's room, and headed towards the Espresso Pump.

Buffy was just about to get up from the couch outside of the Espresso Pump, and begin walking back home—when she spied Willow and her blonde witch-friend heading towards her. She couldn't help wondering why Willow had brought the girl along, but was nevertheless glad she'd shown up. She'd been sure that Willow had decided to stand her up—she'd been waiting here for almost half an hour.

"Hey Will," she greeted her friend, "and, um...I'm sorry, but I uh...I don't seem to remember your, um...your name," she extended her hand towards the blonde.

"It's Tara," Willow told her gruffly, displeased with her friend. How could she have forgotten Tara's name? She'd taken the time to ask the girl if she was dangerous, and yet she couldn't remember her name...

"It's okay Willow," Tara said softly, noticing her friend's annoyance. "Hi," she smiled at the Slayer, taking the proffered hand.

"Yeah, um...hi," Buffy replied, feeling a little uncomfortable. She didn't feel too good about forgetting this girl's name, and Willow's reaction didn't make her feel any better about it. "I'm, uh...sorry, I..." Buffy began as she let go of Tara's hand, feeling the need to apologize again for not recalling her name.

Buffy smiled at the girl, instantly warming to her. She seemed very sweet. "Well, I won't forget it again, um...Tara...right?" She grinned at the blonde as she nodded her head.

"So," Buffy continued, turning her attention towards Willow. "You wanna get a table?"

"Um...okay," Willow replied hesitantly. "You grab a table, and I'll get us some mochas," she turned towards Tara, "you want a mocha?" she asked the girl, knowing she liked them, but wanted to make sure she didn't want anything else.

"Great, I'll be back soon." With that, Willow quickly made her way towards the front counter—eager to get away from Buffy. She could feel all her emotions building inside her as she'd been in the Slayer's presence, and was afraid she'd say something she'd regret. Thank God Tara was here with her. If it wasn't for her new friend, she'd have definitely put off meeting with Buffy—even though she knew it was inevitable. She couldn't just let her feelings fester, and with Tara around to help keep her calm, maybe she'd get through this meeting intact—without saying something that could ruin her friendship with Buffy...for good.

As Willow went to get their drinks, Tara and Buffy made their way towards the nearest free table. "So," Buffy ventured as they took a seat, "you and Willow are...friends..."

"A few days ago?" Buffy asked in surprise. "You've only known each other for a few days?"

"Oh, it's just that, uh...you guys seem kind of close...like you've known each other for a while...you know...?"

"W-why do you say that?" Tara asked, genuinely surprised by the Slayer's observation.

"Oh, you know," Buffy began, "the way you two showed up here, looking all chummy, and...and how Willow got upset 'cause, you know, I uh, I didn't remember your name, and uh...last night...you know, with the hand holding, and Willow acting all defensive...I just assumed you were like good friends or something, and...didn't she say something about you teaching her magick? You're a witch right...?"

Tara couldn't help but smile at Buffy's words—she thought they were close..."Yeah," she replied. "W-when we, uh m-m-met we...we connected, and um...I've been um...t-t-teaching Willow about the magicks ever since. She's a n-n-natural...very good. I'm surprised how quickly she picks things up,"

Tara's smile widened, and her stutter became less pronounced, as she began to get excited. Talking about Willow gave her this weird sense of pride, and she was eager to share her student's success.

"Just yesterday, Willow even managed to write her name with a pencil—using only her m-m-mind to control it. She's so powerful, but she doesn't even know it, I can't wait to see how she handles floating something even heavier...and I bet she'll be able to write more than just her name soon. All she needs to do is practice her concentration a bit, and..."

"Hey guys," Willow interrupted, placing the mochas on the table. "Whatchya talking about?" she asked Tara, taking a seat next to her.

"You," Tara replied softly. "I was j-just telling Buffy about the pencil thing...about how powerful you are..."

"I'm not really that powerful," she said modestly. "I did drop the pencil, remember..."

"Yeah, but I should've been concentrating harder...if I had, then it wouldn't've mattered. I shouldn't have gotten distracted...."

"But you're just starting out," Tara reminded her. "You can already do so much, and it'll take time to..."

"Uh, guys," the Slayer interrupted, feeling a little like a third wheel. She'd watched the banter between these two witches, had seen the affection they had for one another...but this was about her. She wanted to put things right between her and Willow—not sit and watch while her best friend interacted with her newest friend. "Remember me?" she continued. "Slayer...not heavily into magicks...don't know what you're talking about..."

"Oh," Tara smiled sheepishly, realizing they'd left the Slayer out of their conversation. "Sorry..."

"Don't apologize," Willow said, directing her words more towards Buffy than at Tara. "We had plans first; Buffy just assumed I'd be able to make it...as if my whole life revolves around her." She turned to face the Slayer, putting on her most sarcastic tone. "Oh, look at me, I'm the Slayer, and now I'm back, so you should all stop what you're doing...stop you're lives, coz, you know...they revolve around me. Who cares if you've got plans...I don't. Why should I care if..."

"Stop it," Buffy interrupted, forcing her tears away. Why was Willow acting like this? She'd never seen Willow act so mean before...so sarcastic. What had she done to deserve this from her? "Why are you saying this?" she demanded. "What did I do...?" Buffy stood up from the table, deciding this had all been a bad idea. "Maybe I shouldn't have come back...I should leave..."

"Right," Willow began sarcastically, "coz we all know how good you are at that."

"Why are you attacking me?" Buffy sobbed, unable to hold back her tears any longer. "I'm trying..."

"Trying?" Willow exclaimed. "You just said you wanted to leave...I don't call that trying! It looks so much like giving up to me."

"You guys were doing just fine without me," Buffy continued, latching on to some of her self-pity.

"We were doing the best we could!" Willow burst out. "It's not like we had a lot of choice in the matter..."

"Sorry that I had to leave," Buffy sighed, "but you don't know what I was going through.

She didn't have to understand, Willow thought. She just wanted Buffy to confide in her. Why didn't she trust her enough to talk to her? "Well," she began slowly, forcing down tears of her own, "maybe I don't need to understand," she explained. "Maybe I...I just need you to talk to me..."

"This isn't easy, Buffy," Willow interrupted, not giving her friend a chance to make up some excuse. "I know you're going through stuff, but...so am I..."

"No!" Willow exclaimed, marveling at Buffy's ego. Not everything revolves around you! "I don't just mean that," she explained to the egotistical slayer. "I mean, my life...you know...? I, uh...I'm having all sorts of...I'm dating, I'm having serious dating with a...werewolf...a-and I'm studying witchcraft and killing vampires, and I didn't have anyone to talk to about all this scary life stuff," she paused, as her tears consumed her, "and you were my best friend," she sobbed

"You have no idea how much I missed you," Buffy replied, her own sobs mirroring Willow's. "Everyone...I wanted to call every day..."

"That doesn't matter, Buffy," Willow cried. "It doesn't make it okay that you didn't."

"I couldn't," Buffy insisted. "I just couldn't. I was in a bad place, and I...I..." she began sobbing uncontrollably, her anguish consuming her. "I missed you guys so much...oh Willow...I missed you, I'm so sorry, I...I..."

Willow couldn't stand to see her friend this upset, and her own tears quickly followed suit. "I missed you too Buffy," she sobbed, " every day..."

The two girls looked at each other with such pain and anguish, that Tara couldn't stop the tears that were now reaching her own eyes. She sorely felt for the two estranged friends, but had no idea how to make things better for them. The best thing she could do was stay out of this...let them sort their feelings out for themselves.

Although, as she continued to look at the scene progressing in front of her, Tara found herself remembering what Willow had just said. She was dating a werewolf. Oz was a werewolf. Why hadn't Willow told her Oz was a werewolf? Well...at least she knew now.

"I'm sorry," Buffy repeated, "I'm really, really sorry...oh, Willow...please forgive me. I missed you so much, and I...I just want things to go back to how they were...I can't stand you being mad at me...I'm so sorry..."

"Me too," Willow sobbed, "I missed you too..." she was no longer angry with her friend...more hurt than anything else, and with that, she stood up and moved towards the Slayer.

Buffy followed suit, and within seconds, the two girls were in each other's arms, sobbing like crazy, telling one another how much they'd been missed...over, and over, and over. They cried for about a minute, before they eventually pulled away.

Tara smiled as she watched Willow and Buffy look at one another. It gave her a really warm tingly feeling to know their friendship had been restored.

"Welcome home Buffy," Willow said a few seconds later, realizing she'd yet to properly greet the prodigal Slayer.

"Thanks," Buffy replied, as she sat back down again, deciding she'd had enough of the mushy stuff. "So," she began, taking a sip of her mocha. "Tara says you're like getting all powerful with the magicks and stuff. Way to go you..."

Willow grinned, "I'm getting better," she responded modestly. "I mean, I'm not a full-fledged witch...that takes years. I just did a couple of pagan blessings, a teeny glamour to hide a zit, and...yeah, the whole pencil thing with Tara."

"It has," Willow admitted. "I tried to communicate with the spirit world, and I so wasn't ready for that. It's like being pulled apart inside...plus I blew out the power for our whole block—big scare."

"It's okay," Willow replied graciously. "I understand you having to bail. I can forgive that. Mmm...I have to make allowances for what you're going though," she continued smugly, "a-and be a grown up about it," she finished off, giving Buffy a really smug look.

Buffy grinned in response, recognizing her best friend's expression. "You're really enjoying this whole moral superiority thing, aren't you?"

"All right," Willow conceded. "I'll stop giving you a hard time." She took a sip of her mocha before continuing. "Runaway," she quipped.

Buffy looked at her friend in surprise. "Will...?" she burst out, wondering if she'd changed her mind, and decided to go back to being angry with her.

Buffy's eyes widened, as she realized what her friend was doing. "Whiner," she returned, with a glint in her eye. She'd missed their playful banter.

Tara watched in silence while the two girls playfully teased one another—enjoying their camaraderie. She was glad Willow had made up with her best friend, and was happy to sit quietly and sip her mocha, as both Slayer and Witch continued to catch up.

After her conversation with Willow and Tara, Buffy felt a whole lot better about being back in Sunnydale. It was good to have sorted things out with her best friend—she'd really made her realize how much she'd hurt everyone. This is why she'd made her way over to Xander's directly from the Espresso Pump. She knew he'd just given her a brush off when he said he was busy last night—but she was determined to speak to him—to let him know how sorry she was, and to clear the air like she had with Willow.

At first, Xander had been a little surprised to see her, but they were soon talking things through, and after a somewhat heated discussion, Buffy had patched things up with her other best friend as well. She then went over and apologized to Giles, before going home to her mom. She spoke with Joyce at length, and kept in mind her conversation with Willow—making sure to let her mom know how sorry she was for all that had transpired.

A couple of weeks later, life was almost back to normal for the Slayer, as she sat on a couch at the Bronze—surrounded by all the Scoobies—including the newest member Tara. Sure, there had been a Zombie problem a week ago, on account of an old mask her mother had stuck up inside the house—but they'd done the Scooby thing, and Buffy had eventually managed to save the day. Right now though—life was pretty good for the Slayer. She'd just been accepted back into high school, she was chilling out with her friends, and even if Willow was being less than obvious about trying to set her up with Scott Hope—things were still great.

That should have been her first sign that something was about to go down. Whenever life became too good to be true in Sunnydale—something always happened to throw a monkey wrench in the works. The gang had been watching the dance floor—commenting on the highly unfashionable dance-stylings of a 70's reject, and his slutty dance partner. The guy was so horribly out of date with his movements, that Buffy instantly realized the guy was no friend to sunshine.

When he guided his dance partner outside, Buffy put down her drink—letting her friends know of her thoughts before making her way towards the exit. After an awkward encounter with Scott Hope—whom she was forced to let down gently, Buffy was now looking around the deserted back alley of the Bronze—wondering where the couple could have gotten to.

The Scoobies followed Buffy outside, and upon hearing a girl's voice, and the sound of something breaking, they all rushed towards the commotion. When they reached the scene, they were all surprised to see the girl holding her own in a fight against the vamp—pushing him up against a crate, kicking him, knocking him to the pavement with ease.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here," Oz ventured, "and say there's a new Slayer in town."

Tara looked at Oz in surprise—wondering what he meant. New Slayer? Wasn't there only supposed to be one? She kept her mouth shut though, realizing now was not the time for questions. She merely watched in silence, as this Faith Slayer quickly brought the vamp to submission, before taxing a stake from Buffy.

"Thanks B," Faith ventured, after she'd staked the vamp. "Couldn't have done it without you."

With that, the dark-haired Slayer walked past the open-mouthed Scoobies, and headed back towards the Bronze. The gang stared after her for a moment, before following her back. They were all desperate to find out what was going on.

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A Fluke Between Two Wiccans

By SpikeMe4Now4200

Copyright © 2003

Spikeme4now4200@yahoo.com.au