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 gang was now back inside the Bronze where they were all sitting around a table, listening to the new Slayer's stories. Faith loved the attention, and she was doing her best to make her anecdotes sound as exciting as possible.

"The whole summer, it was like the worst heat wave," Faith grinned. "So, it's about a hundred and eighteen degrees and I'm sleeping without a stitch on..."

Xander smirked at the statement, excited by the idea—much to his girlfriend's annoyance.

"And all of a sudden," Faith continued, "I hear this screaming from outside. So I go tearing out, stark nude..."

Xander looked over Faith's body, licking his lips as he imagined the scenario. Cleavage...muscles...nakedness...mmmmm...

"And this church bus has broke down...and there's these three vamps feasting on half the Baptists in South Boston..."

Willow listened—enthralled by Faith's story. Turning towards Tara, she gave her friend a soft smile, noticing that she too was finding Faith's words intriguing. Tara smiled back at Willow, sharing a mutual look of admiration.

"So I waste the vamps," Faith continued, loving the attention she was getting, "and the preacher comes up and he's hugging me like there's no tomorrow...when all of a sudden, the cops pull up and they arrest us both." She chuckled at the memory and reached for a muffin.

"Wow," Xander sighed, picturing the scene in his head. "They should film that story and show it every Christmas..."

Cordelia glared at her boyfriend while Xander remained oblivious to his faux pas, and felt his smirk widen as Faith ripped into the muffin she'd just grabbed.

"God," Faith savored the muffin, "I could eat a horse. Isn't it crazy how slayin' just makes you hungry and horny?" she wolfed down another bite—proving her point sensuously.

Willow and Tara chuckled and turned their heads towards Buffy—as did Xander, Cordelia and Oz.

Buffy looked at the expectant glances of her friends and cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Well..." she hesitated. "Sometimes I-I crave a non-fat yogurt afterwards..."

"Not the horny thing," Cordy explained with disgust. "Yuck! But the two Slayer thing...There was one and then Buffy died for like two minutes, so then Kendra was called...and then when she died, Faith was called."

"Well...I wasn't," Faith explained. "My Watcher went off to some retreat thing in England and so I skipped out. I figured this was my chance to meet the infamous Buff and compare notes." She smiled at Buffy before continuing. "So, B...did you really use a rocket launcher one time?"

"Uh, yeah," Buffy leaned forward, pleased to finally have the attention back onto her. "Actually, it's a funny story. There was..."

"So, what was the, uh, story about the alligator?" Xander interrupted, unable to get the image of a naked Faith out of his mind. "You, uh...said something...before..."

"Oh," Faith gestured with her hands as she spoke, "there's this Big Daddy Vampire out of Missouri who used to keep them as pets. So he's got me rasslin' one of 'em, okay? The thing must've been twelve feet long and I'm..."

"Well," Faith decided to tease the horny teen, "the alligator was," she chuckled.

"I tell ya," Faith shook her head, "I never had more trouble than that damn vamp. So," she turned towards Buffy, "what about you? What was your toughest kill?"

Buffy lowered her eyes to the floor as a flashback hit her. She could clearly see the image of the moment she'd stabbed Angel...the look of surprise on his face...the pain...God, she hated it. When would she stop remembering? When would the pain stop? She hated being the Slayer sometimes...hated what she was duty bound to do. Why did things have to end like that? Just when she'd gotten him back...

Shaking her head, Buffy forced herself out of her reverie. "Um, well...you know," she smiled gingerly, "they're all difficult...I guess..."

Realizing Faith wanted more of an explanation; Buffy did her best to come up with something to say. "Uh...Oh! Oh, do you guys remember the Three?" she glanced at her friends.

"That's right," Buffy sighed, "you never met the Three. Well, there were three..."

"Something occurring," Oz interrupted. "Uh, now, you both kill vamps, and who could blame you...but, I'm-I'm wondering about your position on werewolves."

Willow smiled and gently placed her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "Oz is a werewolf," she explained.

Faith thought about this for a moment before replying. "Hey, as long as you don't go scratchin' at me or humpin' my leg, we're five-by-five, you know?"

"The vamps, though, they better get their asses to Defcon One," Faith pointed towards Buffy, "coz you and I are gonna have fun, you know...Watcherless and fancy-free," she smiled.

"Your Watcher went to England?" Willow burst out. "How come? Is Giles meant to be in England? He never said anything about having to go to England," she turned to face Buffy. "Did he?"

"Retreat thing," Faith explained. "They have one every year. You mean to tell me yours ain't goin'? Mine couldn't wait to get there...was talkin' about it for weeks..."

Buffy frowned as she thought about it. Why hadn't Giles said anything? Maybe he wasn't invited...Giles wasn't on the most popular watchers list..."We'll ask him at school tomorrow," she ventured. "I bet he'll be dying to meet a new Slayer...and he can tell us about the retreat thingy."

"Sounds cool," Faith grinned. "You can stop by my motel room on your way to school...wake me up," she chuckled.

"Uh..." Buffy hesitated, feeling annoyed with Faith. This new gal just expects me to stop by and pick her up...can't she meet us at school? Why do I have to go out of my way...?

"She'll be glad to stop by," Willow said cheerfully. "Right Buff?" she turned to face her best friend.

"Great," Faith grinned. "I'll be stayin here," she reached into her pocket and pulled out a matchbook—handing it over to Buffy. "Room 32, can't miss it. Anyway," she stood up. "I'll catch ya guys later. Gonna head out...see if I can bag me another vamp or two before sack time...I love a good slay before bed."

Willow chuckled as she watched Cordelia start to fume. Poor Xander...he was so clueless sometimes.

Tara chuckled as well and shared a knowing look with Willow. The new Slayer had definitely stirred things up. She couldn't help wondering what her story was...why she was here. She'd sensed a troubling energy surrounding the Slayer...as if she were running away from something. But what? She frowned at the thought...wondering what a Slayer could be running from.

"I..." Tara hesitated, not sure how much she should say. She didn't know for sure that the Slayer was running away from something. And she didn't want to worry everyone needlessly. Especially since they all seemed to have instantly warmed to the girl. Well...except for Buffy and Cordelia.

"What is it?" Willow insisted, knowing something was troubling her friend. She'd gotten to know Tara pretty well these last couple of weeks...training with her daily...talking with her...sharing meals with her...practicing magicks. All this shared time had formed a bond between them—one that seemed to get stronger with every day. The bond was so strong now, that she'd developed the ability to sense Tara's energy...sense her mood somewhat.

Tara smiled softly, realizing she couldn't hide from Willow. "It's nothing really..." she began. "I just...well, I...I could sense that Faith was, um..."

"What?" Buffy interrupted, eager to hear anything bad about the usurper. "Is she like evil or something?" she asked eagerly.

Willow frowned at Buffy's attitude, wondering why she seemed pleased with the idea. Didn't Buffy like Faith?

"Oh, no," Tara shook her head instantly. "Not evil...more like...troubled," she smiled at Willow, allowing herself to be calmed by the redhead's encouraging look. She still found it difficult to speak up in front of the whole group, but she'd discovered a way to deal with her nervousness. All she had to do was look at Willow...gaze into her eyes...and all her shyness faded away. Willow was her comfort zone...

"I dunno," Tara shrugged. "I just, um, sensed her energy...she seemed scared...like she was running away from something."

"You think the whole Watcher retreat thing is a scam?" Buffy pondered, her Slayer mind ticking over. "Maybe she turned evil, killed her watcher, and has decided to come to Sunnydale to steal—uh, kill mine...?"

Xander chuckled at Buffy's logic, refusing to believe anything bad about the sexy Slayer. "I don't think so Buff..." he ventured. "She's a rebel...doesn't play by the rules. I bet she just got sick of being ordered around by her Watcher and decided to go on a little holiday."

"You know," Cordelia interjected, "I seem to remember you taking a break not so long ago..."

"Hey," Willow chastised, annoyed that the Bitch Queen would actually bring up Buffy's trip to LA. Man, that gal sure needed some tact lessons.

Buffy smiled gratefully at Willow, before giving Cordelia a death stare. "Anyway," she turned back to face Tara. "You say she's running away from something. If it's not the law, then it could be something dangerous...a vamp maybe...or a demon. Could you sense anything else?"

"I'm sorry," Tara replied softly. "I d-d-don't know. All I know is she's running...sorry..."

Sensing her friend's discomfort, Willow reached out a hand and gently squeezed her knee. "It's all right Tara," she smiled warmly.

Tara smiled back, buzzed by the caress. Willow always seemed to know exactly what to say or do to make her feel at ease. It was amazing...she was amazing.

"Well, why don't you come with me tomorrow then," Buffy suggested. "When I pick her up to bring her to Giles, you can turn on your Witchy senses or something...see if you can suss her out...get some vibes from her room...from her..."

"I..." Tara hesitated, not sure how much help she could be. However, she liked the idea of being useful, and Buffy's suggestion made her feel as if she were really a part of the gang. "I'll do my best," she smiled shyly. "But I d-don't promise anything..."

"I'll come too then," Willow ventured, not wanting to be left out. She felt strangely possessive of her new friend, and felt that where Tara went...she should go. It was only fair...Tara was her teacher after all...

"Not if you ever want to kiss these again," Cordelia pressed a finger to her lips.

Xander looked in confusion at his girlfriend, before it finally hit him. "Hey," he grinned. "Don't tell me you're jealous..."

"Oooh, you're jealous..." Xander teased. "The queen is jealous. I made the prom queen jealous. Me, Xander Harris made the—"

He doubled over in pain as Cordelia landed a hard right in the middle of his gut, before leaping up off the chair. Without a second look, she headed straight for the exit.

"Cordy, wait," Xander forced himself to ignore the pain as he stood up. "I..." he trailed off as he ran after her. He knew he'd really put his foot in it this time...

"Yeah," Willow chuckled. "I guess that means Xander won't be coming with us tomorrow. You wanna come Oz?"

"You're not going to school?" Willow frowned. "You're gonna miss class to practice? You..." she trailed off when she felt Tara's hand reach for her knee—reminding her she was being 'control gal' again.

She'd asked Tara the other week to help her out with that. Knowing she tended to smother Oz with her good intentions sometimes, she'd asked Tara to stop her whenever she went overboard. She didn't want to come off as some over protective, nagging girlfriend. Oz had his own life...made his own choices. Just because she disagreed with them, didn't give her the right to nag. She just worried about him...but knew she'd push him away if she continued to make a big deal out of his 'no worries' attitude.

"Sorry," Willow smiled sheepishly. "Didn't mean to nag. I understand you have to do the musician thing." She leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against Oz's lips. "I promise I'll be supporto gal from now on," she grinned.

Oz smiled at his girlfriend and reached for her waist—pulling her down into his lap. "It's okay Will," he whispered into her ear, "I like that you care."

Wrapping her arms around her boyfriend's neck, Willow turned her head—intending to press another kiss to his lips. However, her eye inadvertently caught Tara's and she suddenly found herself frozen in place. There was a look in Tara's eye—one she couldn't quite recognize, yet had seen on many an occasion lately. And to make matters worse, she could also sense a shift in the girl's energy.

Why was Tara so uncomfortable? Why was Tara moving her gaze to the floor so quickly? What was that churning she felt in her own stomach? And why did she suddenly feel awkward about wanting to kiss her boyfriend?

Oz followed his girlfriend's gaze and frowned. His Wolfie senses were in overdrive as he alternated his gaze between Willow and Tara...sensing the awkwardness. Deep down he knew what was going on...but as usual he chose to ignore it—hoping he was mistaken.

With an extra loud cough, Oz brought Willow's attention back to himself, and he gave her a forced smile. "Wanna head off?"

"Sure," Willow whispered, extricating herself from Oz's lap. She didn't know what had come over her, and she was suddenly eager to get home.

"Great," Buffy grinned, oblivious to what had just gone down. "Why don't you stop by Willow's in the morning," she turned towards Tara, "and then the two of you can come to my place...and we'll head off to Faith's from there?"

"Okay," Tara smiled shyly, forcing herself to appear composed. She didn't want Willow to realize she was feeling upset over the sight of her and Oz together. "Is that okay with you?" she asked Willow gently.

Willow simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She felt strangely choked up and uncomfortable. Not to mention confused. Why would a mere look from Tara cause her to feel weird about kissing her boyfriend? What's more, it wasn't the first time she'd felt like that. Over the past couple of weeks, whenever she found herself in the same room with both Oz and Tara...she'd begun to feel increasingly awkward about showing her boyfriend affection.

She didn't know where the feeling was coming from, or if she did—her mind refused to consciously acknowledge the reason behind the awkwardness. She was living in denial—unwilling to accept that she might have feelings for Tara that extended beyond friendship. In her mind, it was all about the magicks. She connected with Tara coz the girl was her teacher...she looked up to her...that's all there was to the weird she was feeling...right?

Willow refused to even allow herself to think about that, so she gave Oz a warm smile and wrapped her arms around his waist as he stood up. With determination, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Oz was her boyfriend—she had every right to kiss him...to enjoy kissing him. She shouldn't feel awkward just because Tara was in the room...

Tara watched in silence as Willow pressed her lips to her boyfriend's. She instantly dragged her gaze down to the floor and cursed her treacherous emotions. After a few weeks, one would think she'd have gotten used to seeing Willow and Oz act all couple-y. Unfortunately, the opposite had happened. Every time she saw Willow and Oz kiss...hold hands...hug...she seemed to find it harder and harder to watch.

Tara looked up when she heard Buffy's teasing remark…figuring the kissing would stop now. She was right. Willow pulled away from Oz then and gave Buffy a smirk. Tara couldn't help but feel grateful to Buffy for her comment. She instantly chastised herself for her feeling. Willow cared about Oz, and he cared about her. It was only natural for them to express their feelings physically.

"Everyone set?" Willow ventured, doing her best to ignore the thumping in her chest. Why did she feel as if she'd made Tara uncomfortable?

Oz dropped off Tara first and then Willow, before heading off home. Buffy had refused the offer of a lift—preferring to walk home and see if any vamps were around in the process.

As she watched Oz disappear into the night, Willow still couldn't shake the uneasiness in her stomach. Things appeared to be going well between her and Oz…but sometimes she just felt as if something were missing between them. What's more, ever since she'd met Tara, she'd found herself becoming increasingly uncomfortable about showing Oz affection…like tonight.

As she got ready for bed, Willow pondered her reaction. She didn't realize that her feeling of discomfort happened only when Tara was around. She just knew that the feeling was becoming more and more frequent. If she'd allowed herself to really think about it, she'd have realized that the time she spent with Tara was also increasing and that maybe Tara had something to do with it…

Over the past few weeks, not a day had gone by where she hadn't seen Tara. In fact, going over to Tara's room had become the highlight of her day. She'd even found herself sitting in class sometimes, thinking about Tara. Thinking about how much fun it was to practice magick with her. How good a teacher she was. How she had the warmest smile she'd ever seen…the bluest eyes…the most calming voice…

Crawling into bed, Willow closed her eyes and reminisced over the last couple of days…recalling what had happened yesterday…

It had been lunchtime, and Buffy had said she'd come by with food for everyone and that she'd bring Tara with her—show her where the school was. Since Buffy hadn't been allowed on campus at that stage, they were all to meet her in the park across the street. That had caused a few problems for Willow...

She'd stood with Oz on the sidewalk outside the school, rocking nervously back and forth on her heels and toes while they'd waited for Xander and Cordelia.

"It's the freedom," she'd continued. "As seniors, we can go off-campus now for lunch. It's no longer cutting. It's legal! Heck, it's expected! Wow, it's, uh…also a big step forward…a senior moment…one that has to be savored. You can't just rush into this…you know?"

It was then that Xander and Cordelia had shown up. Xander had immediately seen what was happening, and had stepped up to her side. With Oz on her opposite side, the two boys had each grabbed one of her arms and had begun to pull her across the street.

"Ohhhh!" she'd exclaimed, doing her best to resist. "No, I can't!" Much as she wanted to meet with Buffy and Tara…leaving school in the middle of the day had just felt wrong. The terror of doing the wrong thing…of blemishing her perfect record…well, that had caused her heart to pound, her legs to stiffen and she'd been afraid of the worst. What if they'd changed the rules? What if she got caught? What if she never got into college?

Oz and Xander had ignored her resistance though, and had simply lifted her up higher off the ground, and pulled harder.

That still hadn't calmed Willow down though. "Oh, but no! What if they changed the rule without telling?" she'd voiced her fears. "What if they're lying in wait to 'arrest' me a-and, and throw me in detention and mar my unblemished record?"

Oz and Xander had simply smiled at her babbling as they'd neared the other end of the street.

Taking a deep breath, she'd done her best to calm herself down. "Okay…Hmm…" Oz had taken her by the hand then and squeezed gently.

She'd felt herself relax a little as they'd begun walking into the park. "This is good!" she'd exclaimed…feeling her confidence build with every step. "This is…hey…we're seniors! Hey, I'm walkin' here…" she'd started to giggle then…her giddiness setting in again.

As they'd neared the park though, she'd spotted Buffy and Tara under the shade of a palm tree.

Willow had chuckled at Xander's flippant comment, but when she'd caught a clearer sight of Tara, it had suddenly made her feel a little self-conscious. She still didn't know why that was…but for some reason she just hadn't felt right about holding Oz's hand…acting couple-y. Just like whenever she went to kiss Oz lately—she'd feel a churning in her stomach and she'd freeze…

"Oh," Cordelia had piped in. "You mean coz of how the only guy that ever liked her turned into a vicious killer and had to be put down like a dog?"

"Can she cram complex issues into a nutshell, or what?" Xander had smiled at his girlfriend.

Willow had smiled too, pleased to have a good excuse to uncouple herself from Oz.

"All right," Oz had spoken up as they'd come up from behind a tree; "prepare to uncouple." When they were just out of Buffy's view, Oz had finished his directive. "Uncouple."

Letting go of her boyfriend's hand, Willow had moved in front of Xander so that she and Cordelia were on one side, while Oz and Xander where on the other side…totally uncoupled.

She'd smiled warmly at Tara while Xander had greeted Buffy, before taking a seat next to her teacher. "Hey Tara," she'd welcomed her with a smile.

"Hi," Tara had replied shyly…giving her one of those smiles that always made her insides feel like jell-o.

She'd just smiled back as the rest of the gang had taken their seats and begun talking with Buffy. She'd done her best not to stare at her friend and had grabbed a sandwich. However, she'd kept looking up at Tara and meeting her gaze shyly as she ate…completely oblivious to the conversation around her.

All she'd felt was giddiness that Tara was here…and that she'd soon be introducing her to Giles. She'd been extremely eager to introduce the two of them—hoping that Giles would approve of her new friend. Tara was her teacher, while Giles was her mentor. She respected them both…in different ways of course…and she wanted them both to be proud of her. Hence the eagerness for them to meet and compare notes…

Her thoughts had been interrupted however, once she'd spotted Scott Hope out of the corner of her eye. She'd seen the way the guy looked at Buffy…and being the dutiful friend that she was…figured it was time for the Buffster to start dating again. She just wanted her to be happy.

"Oooh, Scott Hope at eleven o'clock," she'd pointed out. "He likes you," she'd turned towards Buffy as she'd continued talking. "He wanted to ask you out last year, but you weren't ready then. But I think you're ready now…or at least in the state of pre-readiness to make conversation, or-or to do that thing with your mouth that boys like…"

Buffy had looked at her in shock then, as had Tara. Willow had glanced only briefly at Buffy, but had locked her gaze with Tara's as she'd noticed a smirk form on her lips and a glint shining in her eye. The glint and smirk had made her heart skip a beat and as she'd continued to gaze into her friend's eyes…it slowly began to dawn on her what she'd said. She hadn't meant to make that sexual reference…but that look of bemusement on Tara's face had almost been worth the embarrassment.

"Oh!" she'd explained to Tara in mortification, as her face had turned beet-red. "I didn't mean the bad thing with her mouth. I meant that half-smile thing she does that…" she'd trailed off and turned towards her boyfriend, realizing she'd just been embarrassing herself further. What's more, staring into Tara's eyes had made her feel even more unsettled…

She'd smiled back at him and had felt herself relax a bit. Scott Hope had chosen that moment to come up to them and said a quick hello to Buffy. Once he'd left, they'd teased Buffy about it for a while, and then Willow had stood up and asked Tara if she was ready to meet Giles.

Tara had responded in the affirmative, but as they'd begun walking to the library, they'd bumped into Amy. Amy had been surprised to see Tara at school, so Willow was forced to explain how Tara was now her teacher, and that she wanted to introduce her to Giles.

For some reason though, Amy hadn't seemed too thrilled to learn that Tara had started teaching her about the magicks. It was almost as if there'd been a kind of disgruntled aura emanating from Amy's energy. Willow had decided to dismiss her uneasiness though, figuring she was just misreading her. She'd only recently learned how to sense a person's energy and she probably wasn't even doing it right. She wasn't as intuitive as Tara.

Therefore, when Amy had suggested they head off into the science lab for a little magick fun, Willow had jumped at the idea—despite wanting to introduce Tara to Giles. Amy wanted to see what she'd learned…how far she'd progressed and Willow's innate desire to prove herself had spurred her on.

She smiled as she remembered the look on Amy's face when she'd expertly floated that Bunsen burner around the room…with complete precision. Amy had been shocked…no wait, more like speechless. The girl's mouth had half-opened, and she'd just stared at her. What's more, if Willow didn't know better, she'd be sure there was a tad bit of jealousy in Amy's aura. She didn't want to admit it, but the idea of Amy being jealous of her power greatly pleased her.

The one thing that didn't please her though had been Tara's expression. Tara had looked at her with what appeared to be disapproval. She hadn't said anything, but Willow could sense that her teacher was upset with her actions. When Amy had left for class, Willow had walked Tara to the front of the school and decided to call her up on her reaction. She didn't like the idea of upsetting her teacher. She wanted Tara to be proud of her and knowing she'd done something the girl disapproved of hurt her greatly.

"Why were you upset with me?" she'd asked Tara quietly as they'd stopped in front of the school gate.

"W-what m-m-makes you think I'm upset with you," Tara had responded reluctantly.

"What did I do wrong?" She'd watched in silence as Tara fidgeted a little and avoided eye contact with her. She'd been able to tell the girl was uncomfortable and that had upset her even more. "Please Tara…I wanna know," she'd insisted. "Whatever it is…it's okay. You're my teacher and I…I don't wanna do wrong by you. So if I did something…please tell me so I don't do it again."

Tara had looked up at her then with those gorgeous blue eyes of hers, and she'd given her the warmest smile she'd ever seen. She'd smiled back at the girl then and had instantly felt better. That smile had told her that whatever she'd done to upset Tara…the girl was still proud of her. She didn't know how she knew this…but she just did…almost instinctively. She'd smiled back at Tara, and had unwittingly reached for her hands. She'd squeezed them gently as she'd waited for the girl to continue.

"You, um…you shouldn't use m-m-magick to, um…to show off. Magick is a part of you…it's in your blood…but it should never be used recklessly."

Tara's words had set her mind racing with worry. She'd been reckless? "You think I was reckless?" she'd asked Tara…her voice quivering slightly with distress. "I did bad? I'm a bad witch? I just wanted to show Amy how good I was. I'm sorry I showed off. I didn't mean to. Okay, yes I did. I wanted to show off. I wanted to show Amy what I'd learned…how much you'd taught me. I want you to be proud of me. Oh Tara, I'm sorry I was reckless. I'm a bad, bad student. Just because Amy always makes me feel like I can't do anything right, it doesn't mean I had to go and show off in front of her. I'm bad…really, really, bad…and you probably don't even wanna teach me anymore. I'll totally understand if you don't wanna be my teacher. Who'd want a student as bad as me? I'm hopeless…I…I…"

She knew she'd babbled on, but when she'd heard Tara say she'd acted recklessly, it was as if something had snapped inside her. She just couldn't bear the thought of disappointing her teacher. Luckily, Tara had unlinked their hands and had wrapped her in a warm hug instead—effectively silencing her babble before she could make an even bigger fool of herself.

Recalling the hug, Willow let out a soft sigh. She could remember how good Tara's arms had felt around her neck and waist. How Tara had held her tight and whispered, "It's okay," into her ear. She'd closed her eyes then and felt herself relax into the embrace. All her anxiety had instantly disappeared and she'd tightened her own arms around Tara. She couldn't remember how long the hug lasted, but when she did eventually pull away, she'd felt totally refreshed…and a little flushed. She'd just stared into Tara's eyes for a while and Tara had gazed back…with neither of them saying a word.

In fact, words hadn't been necessary for them. Just by looking into Tara's eyes, she'd known everything was good between them…that Tara understood she'd never do it again. Which is why all she'd said was; "I'll see you later," to which Tara had simply nodded in agreement before heading off.

As she'd watched Tara leave, she'd realized that she'd forgotten to introduce her to Giles. She would have gone after her then, but seeing as she was almost late for class, she'd figured there'd be plenty of opportunity for that later.

Turning on her side, Willow decided that tomorrow might be the perfect time to do just that. What's more, she couldn't wait to see what Tara would sense from Faith. The new Slayer intrigued her, but if Tara said the girl was running from something…then that's what the girl was doing. She trusted Tara's instincts implicitly. With that thought, she began to focus on steadying her breathing. The sooner she got to sleep…the quicker morning would come.

That morning, Tara arrived at Willow's house a little earlier than scheduled. She promptly knocked on the front door but got no answer. She knocked three more times and when she still didn't get an answer, she realized that Willow was probably asleep. Knowing the girl's parents were out of town, Tara knew she'd get no answer from the front door so she went around the back of the house—to Willow's bedroom instead. It's what Willow had told her to do in this kind of situation.

Standing outside Willow's room, Tara suddenly felt a little nervous. It was one thing entering a house from the front door…quite another to come in through the bedroom. Taking a deep calming breath, Tara gently knocked on the French doors. A second later she knocked again…harder this time.

Yet again she didn't get an answer. She pondered over her next move for a brief moment, and realized she'd need to go straight in without waiting for Willow to wake up. So, with a few choice Latin words and a slight release of her energy, Tara gently pressed her fingertips against Willow's door—effectively unlocking it. She was a little shy about entering the girl's room while she slept…especially using magick to practically break in… but what other choice did she have? They did have a mission to get to after all…and Willow would have to be woken up somehow. With that thought, she took a deep breath and pushed open the French doors.

As she walked into Willow's bedroom, Tara felt a smile creeping up on her as she spied her friend. The girl looked so adorable in her plaid pajamas…with the covers half on and half off her body as she lay on her side. Taking a seat on the bed, Tara gently ran her hand down the length of Willow's arm—the one above the covers. She felt the girl shiver slightly at her touch, but she remained asleep.

Deciding a bolder maneuver was necessary, Tara once again ran her hand down Willow's arm. Only this time she applied more pressure. When Willow still didn't stir, Tara moved her hand upwards and gently caressed the girl's cheekbone with her thumb.

"Willow," she leaned down and whispered into her ear. "It's me…we gotta go to Buffy's." She pulled away then as she waited for Willow to wake up…to respond to her voice…her touch.

Willow just mumbled something about 'scary froggies' but didn't stir. Tara smiled at this. She must be having a bad dream…aww…poor Will and her froggie phobia. She's so cute though…curled up in bed dressed in those adorable pajamas. She looks so peaceful. It's a shame to wake her…but we gotta check on Faith. Besides, if Willow's dreaming about frogs, I'd be doing her a service by waking her up.

Overcome with affection, Tara leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against Willow's forehead. She figured that would be the best way to wake her up…or so she told herself. If the girl had been awake she'd never have made so bold a move…but kissing Willow—even if it was just her forehead—was something she'd wanted to do for a long time now. Tara knew that she'd never have the opportunity to kiss Willow like she really wanted to, but chaste kisses were okay. Although, this was the first time she'd actually had enough courage to bestow one upon the girl.

When she pulled away from Willow, she could feel her lips tingling from the brief contact and smiled softly. Her smile quickly turned to a frown as she realized she'd probably never have the guts to do this to a fully conscious Willow. Looking down at the sleeping form of her friend, Tara sighed with frustration. Why did she have to go ahead and fall for a straight gal? With that thought she pressed her lips gently against Willow's left cheek and then kissed her right one. When she pulled away this time, she smiled—Willow had finally begun to show some signs of stirring.

"Tara?" Willow blinked, moving her hands up to wipe the sleep from her eyes. "That you?"

Willow smiled up at Tara, feeling strangely flushed. She could feel her skin tingling and couldn't help wondering why that was. "Hey Tara…" she trailed off as she realized the girl was in her bedroom…waking her up. "Oh no," she sat up in distress. "Did I sleep in? Am I late for school? We're supposed to go see Faith…I'm running late. I'm sorry I wasn't ready…"

"It's okay Will," Tara reassured softly. "I, uh, came a little early…m-m-my bad…"

"Oh," Willow sighed with relief. "That's good. I mean, no bad, I…I don't mind you being early. It's just for a second there I thought…"

Willow giggled and shook her head, letting Tara know it was okay. Tara smiled in response and the two girls shared a brief moment.

"Okay," Tara smiled, getting up off the bed. "Do you want some breakfast? If you like, I could um…make you something while you get ready. It'll give me something to do…"

"It's okay," Willow declined as she got out of bed. "I don't wanna bother you…"

Ten minutes later, Willow walked into the kitchen and smiled. Tara had made them both a small stack of pancakes, and some freshly squeezed orange juice. The girl was now sitting at the table waiting for her.

"Wow," she greeted her friend. "Pancakes and orange juice…you're spoiling me," she grinned, taking a seat next to Tara.

"Only the best for my number one student," Tara quipped, as she poured some juice into a glass. "Here," she handed it to Willow.

"Thanks Tara," Willow accepted the glass. "You know," she joked as she took a sip, "If this is what I can expect in the morning…I should invite you over more often. What do you say," she giggled, "you wanna sleep over every night my parents are away?"

Tara chuckled in response, but couldn't help noticing the undertone in Willow's voice. She could sense a sudden loneliness engulfing Willow and it took her a moment, but she eventually figured out what was causing it. From what Willow had told her about herself…the girl's parents were seldom at home. No wonder Willow felt lonely…she obviously hated spending most nights alone…in a darkened house…with no one to talk to.

Her heart went out to Willow then and she decided to do something to ease the girl's situation. Although, she'd have to be subtle about it. She could maybe invite Willow over to stay in her room some nights…no wait, bad idea—she only had one bed. A better idea would be to come over to Willow's house instead. Yeah…Willow had just suggested a sleepover…She would definitely do that. Although, she couldn't spend every night at Willow's…but there was the phone. She could always call the girl at night…see how she was doing…let her know she wanted to chat.

"If you ever want to have a sleepover," Tara smiled, "I'd love to come over. I never went to many sleepovers when I was little…none that I can remember actually." She chuckled shyly.

Willow met her friend's gaze and gave her a warm smile. "Me too," she told her softly. "But, I…I like that you're shy. It's sweet…"

Tara blushed at Willow's comment. "I don't think you're shy though," she noted. "You have so many friends…and a boyfriend…and…"

Tara paused then as Willow's words sank in. The girl was right…they were her friends. She'd never had a circle of friends before…

"What?" Willow asked, noticing the huge grin that was now plastered on Tara's face.

"It's nothing," Tara ventured softly. "I just realized you're right. I, uh…I never had many friends in high school…never thought I ever would," she confided. "It's kinda why I wanted to come to Sunnydale in the first place…"

"Coz of my mom," Tara explained. "She used to tell me a lot of stories about Sunnydale…about her coven…her friends. She wasn't different here…she was accepted. And, um…I've always felt different from the people I grew up with…"

"So you figured you'd meet people like yourself here in Sunnydale," Willow surmised, giving Tara her biggest smile. It pleased her to know the girl was confiding in her. She liked having these sorts of talks with Tara…liked getting to know her better.

Tara nodded in response. "I mean…you guys aren't exactly like me…we're all different, but I…I feel like…"

"Yeah," Tara grinned. "I feel like I can talk to you…and even to Buffy and Xander. It's like you understand me…you know? Although, I still feel kinda shy when everyone's around, but…"

Tara debated for a moment whether or not to reveal her secret tactic. "I…I kinda do something when I get all shy and nervous," she confessed, realizing she could tell Willow almost anything. "I just, um…I look at you and I feel…you're like my comfort zone," she said with meaning.

Willow's heart skipped a beat at Tara's words, and she could feel her cheeks burning. "Your comfort zone…?" she smiled widely, unable to hide her sudden elation.

Tara smiled back; pleased her revelation had been accepted favorably. She didn't know why she'd just opened up to Willow, but was glad she had. The girl was her best friend…and she wanted her to know it.

"I've never had a best friend before," she confessed, "but I…I feel like…like you're my best friend Willow…"

Willow couldn't have smiled wider if she'd tried. Tara was someone she respected…someone she looked up to. What's more, she was her teacher…and a really powerful witch as well. She could barely express what it meant to hear those words from Tara. She was Tara's best friend…wow!

Her giddiness was so pronounced, that Willow couldn't stop herself from setting down her fork, getting out of her chair, and moving over to stand next to Tara. Going purely on instinct, she leaned over the girl's chair and wrapped her arms around her neck—giving her a warm embrace.

"You're my best friend too," she whispered into her ear…forcing back an emotional tear. "I feel connected to you Tara…more than anyone…"

Tara lifted her hands and pressed them against Willow's back. She closed her eyes as she absorbed the hug. When Willow eventually pulled away, Tara stood up as well, and lifted a hand to her cheek. She just couldn't stop herself. The emotional revelation she'd shared—combined with Willow's affirmation—had brought out her bold side.

Willow closed her eyes as Tara caressed her cheek, unwittingly responding to her touch. She could feel a sliver of energy running all the way down her body...could feel her legs trembling…and her breathing becoming shallower, and shallower.

Giving in to her emotions, Tara leaned over and placed a gentle kiss against Willow's cheek—the one she wasn't caressing. She knew she was overstepping her boundaries…knew she shouldn't be doing this…touching Willow in such an intimate manner. But how could she resist? Besides, Willow wasn't doing anything to stop her…

When Tara pulled away, Willow forced her eyes open…instantly missing the contact. She could feel herself getting all tingly…just like she had this morning. Suddenly, she realized why she'd felt like that. Tara must have kissed her cheek in an attempt to wake her up. She smiled at that thought and lifted her own hand up to Tara's cheek.

Without another thought, Willow leaned over and returned Tara's kiss…pressing her lips gently against the girl's cheek. As she pulled away, Willow felt like her lips were buzzing with energy, and her breathing had become even shallower. She still hadn't removed her hand from Tara's cheek…just like Tara still had her hand against hers.

"You know," Willow ventured, feeling the need to speak her mind. "You are different…"

"You're special," Willow explained, brushing her thumb against her cheekbone in emphasis. "I mean…I've been best friends with Xander practically my whole life, and then Buffy shows up sophomore year…and ever since then it's been the three of us…best friends. But…"

"Then you showed up," Willow said softly. "I felt this instant connection with you Tara…and it's different from anything I've ever felt before. I feel like I could tell you anything…things I can't tell anyone else. It's weird…coz I've only known you a few weeks, but I…I feel like I've known you my whole life…" she chuckled at that. "Oh man, that sounds so clichéd," she grinned. "But it's true though. You're different from Xander and Buffy…different in a good way. You know what I mean?"

"I do," Tara whispered, feeling herself choke up with tears. "I feel it too. You're special Willow…"

Willow smiled at that and felt her breath catch as Tara leaned over and pressed another kiss to her cheek. She turned her head slightly and pressed a return kiss against Tara's. When Tara moved to pull away though, Willow was reluctant to let her go so soon. Which is why she moved her hand from Tara's cheek and pulled her in for a warm hug instead.

Tara went willingly into her arms, and Willow closed her eyes as they held each other close. She loved hugging Tara…enjoyed it so much that she felt like she never wanted to let her go. She did eventually though, and they just stood there looking at one another for a few moments.

"We should, um…head off soon," Willow choked out eventually, having become a little self-conscious. They'd just shared a very intimate moment, and she was feeling all sorts of confusing things right now. However, she refused to analyze her reaction…scared at what it would reveal about herself.

"Yeah," Tara agreed. She too was feeling a tad bit self-conscious, as well as embarrassed. She couldn't believe how much she'd just revealed to Willow…how open she'd been. And not to mention the way they'd just touched each other…kissed…hugged…

With that, the two girls returned to their seats and quickly finished off the rest of their pancakes in silence. They were both feeling a little shy after their mutual show of affection, and neither one of them knew what to make of it.

"Sure am," Buffy closed the door behind her and stepped outside. "So," she continued as they began walking, "you really think Faith's running away from something?" she asked Tara. "I wonder what it is," she pondered, not waiting for Tara to reply. "You know, if she's evil…does that mean I get to slay her?"

Willow chuckled in response. "I don't think she's evil Buff," she turned towards Tara and smiled—sharing a look of bemusement. "What's your problem with Faith? I'd've thought you'd like the idea of having another Slayer around. Could come in handy during patrol…lighten the load a bit…"

"Oh," Tara let out, suddenly understanding. "You feel like she's taking over…like you won't be needed anymore…"

Buffy shrugged nonchalantly. "No…" she ventured unconvincingly. "Well, okay," she relented at Tara's knowing look, "maybe a little. I mean, who does she think she is? She's been a Slayer for like what…a few months…and she's like all big with the Slayer stories and the vamp dustings and you're all like totally hooked on what she's saying and…and…"

"I'm not jealous," Buffy insisted. "I'm just, you know…cautious. Besides, Tara's the one who said she was running from something. Not me…"

"But I don't think she's evil Buffy," Tara insisted. "And if she is running from something…maybe she's gonna need our help. Whatever she's running from could be dangerous…dangerous enough to scare a Slayer…"

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "And from the way she talks…she doesn't seem the type to scare easily. In fact, she also doesn't seem like the type who'd ask for help. You know, I think we're gonna have to find out what she's running from, and help her out. Coz I don't think she's gonna tell us."

"But how are we gonna know?" Willow asked Tara. "I mean…how can we sense it? You're the only one who's sensed she's running…how did you do it? I didn't sense anything from her."

"Did you open your mind to it?" Tara asked. "You need to allow yourself to relax and focus on the person you're trying to sense. Did you do that?"

Willow shook her head in response. "Not exactly," she smiled sheepishly, "I was too busy taking in all her stories. They're just so exciting…"

The two witches giggled in response, allowing Buffy her disgruntled behavior. Now that they knew she felt usurped by Faith's presence, they decided to cut her some slack. Besides, they were still feeling a little giddy after their mid-breakfast revelations. It felt good to know they were best friends…it gave them both a warm feeling and put them in an unshakable good mood.

When Faith opened the door that morning, she was surprised to see Willow and Tara had come along for the ride. She hadn't expected to see anyone but Buffy this morning and couldn't help but wonder why they'd all felt it necessary to show up. Tara didn't even go to high school, so why bring her along?

"Oooh, a threesome," she quipped, deciding to let it go. "Don't tell me…you've decided to ditch the guys and come over for a little girl on girl action. Just give me a moment and I'll get the bondage gear out of the closet."

Tara blushed at Faith's comment, and lowered her gaze to the floor. Willow blushed as well, but giggled to cover up her embarrassment. Buffy on the other hand just found Faith's words annoying.

"You ready to go?" she asked—purposefully ignoring the girl's comment. "We do have classes you know."

"Hey, lighten up B," Faith grinned, closing the door behind her as she stepped outside. She could sense the girl's animosity towards her but decided to ignore it—for now. "I was kidding," she chuckled.

Buffy relented on her attitude somewhat. She didn't want to totally alienate the girl. "Figured," she ventured.

"Hey," Willow interrupted. "Why don't you tell us another story," she smiled at Faith, figuring if the girl was talking, then she and Tara could concentrate on sussing her out more.

As they walked towards Sunnydale High, Willow and Tara did their best to listen avidly to Faith's story, while attempting to gain insight into what she was running from.

Tara could see how hard Willow was straining to try and accomplish the task, but realized she was just making things worse for herself. Willow needed to relax…to open her mind and not try to focus so hard that her fists had become clenched. Tara quickly realized that she needed to do something to help out her student. Wordlessly, she reached for Willow's tightly clenched fist and laced their fingers together.

Willow turned to face Tara and smiled—giving her hand a gentle squeeze. She could feel Tara's energy buzzing against her skin and it didn't take her long to realize what the girl's intention was. She was obviously trying too hard to sense Faith's energy…she needed to relax, and Tara—being her teacher—had decided to help her with the task.

Combining their energy to relax one another, the two Wiccans focused their efforts jointly on sussing out Faith. Neither of them sensed much though—only a feeling of fear and sadness. Faith was definitely running away from something and that something had most likely caused her unhappiness…loss maybe. But what was it?

"So, I can't wait to meet your Watcher B," Faith ventured as they neared the high school. "What's he like? Old and stuffy like the lot of 'em?" she giggled.

"He's just English," Willow grinned, turning her head to face Tara. "And I can't wait for you to meet him as well. I just know you're gonna get along…"

"Ah…actually…" Tara hesitated. "I, um…I kinda have a class in half an hour. Maybe I can meet him some other time…"

"I could come by this afternoon," Tara suggested, "After school or something. I can meet you out here…"

"Uh, Will," Buffy interrupted. "I'll show Faith to the library while you and Tara say goodbye. Okay?" She wanted to give the two girls enough time to discuss what they'd sensed about Faith.

"All right," Willow nodded, understanding the girl's intention. "I'll see you guys in there."

Willow turned back to face Tara. "You really have to go?" she sighed. "Can't you just come in for a minute…?"

Tara chuckled in response. "You're really eager for me to meet him aren't you," she observed.

"Okay," Willow smiled back. "Anyway," she continued, "I guess we should really talk about Faith. I didn't sense much from her. Only that she was scared of something…oh, and a little sad. Did you sense that? What would she be sad about?"

Willow smiled then, and reached for her friend's hands. "Tara," she said softly.

"Oh," Tara smiled, realizing Willow was referring to the way she'd laced their fingers together to relax her. "I could see you were tense. You needed to relax…not try so hard. You know?"

Willow nodded in response. Impulsively, she leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against Tara's cheek. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Tara blushed. Willow's quick kiss had caught her a little off guard. "I, uh…I guess I should go…" she ventured shyly, not knowing what else to say.

"Okay," Willow replied huskily, wondering why her heart was suddenly pounding. "I'll meet you out here after school."

With that, the girls let go of one another's hands and went off in their separate directions.

That afternoon, Tara waited anxiously for Willow to get out of class. She was looking forward to finally meeting Mr. Giles. She'd heard a lot about him and from the way Willow spoke, it was almost as if she'd be meeting the girl's father. That's why she was a little nervous. She wanted to make a good impression on Mr. Giles—seeing as he meant a lot to Willow and the girl valued his opinion.

When she finally spotted Willow heading towards her, she felt her heart skip a few beats. Looking at Willow always made her feel giddy. And now that they were officially best friends, her giddiness had become even more pronounced. It's why she'd decided to bring along a little gift—a trinket to commemorate their friendship.

"Hi," Willow replied, coming to stand right in front of her. "It was okay. We found out that there really is a Watchers' retreat. Only Giles wasn't invited coz he's not really on the Council's favorite Watcher list," she giggled.

"Cool," Tara smiled. "Did you tell him we think Faith's running away from something?"

"I did," Willow nodded. "He said there wasn't much we could do about it, but we should all be on guard around her. Buffy's gonna patrol with Faith tonight and she's also invited her over for dinner. Hopefully she'll be able to get something out of her then."

"Great," Tara smiled, her eyes locking with Willow's. Just looking at the girl was enough to give her butterflies. Suddenly, she remembered the present in her pocket and reached inside her jacket to take it out. "Oh," she ventured, "here…"

Willow looked down at the shiny object in Tara's hands and her eyes widened. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked in awe. "The one I saw in your book the other week?"

"It-it was my grandma's, I think," Tara explained. "I found it a long time ago in my attic." Her smile widened then, as she extended the crystal towards Willow. "I-I want you to have it," she offered softly, forcing her hands not to shake as a sudden case of nerves overtook her.

She looked into Willow's eyes with total vulnerability—letting her know as best she could what the gift meant. It was a token of their newfound friendship, and a part of her couldn't help but feel terrified that Willow would reject it.

Willow didn't know what to say as she looked at Tara. The crystal was such a powerful gift and it wasn't something you gave to just anyone. Her first impulse was to refuse it…to tell Tara it was too much. However, as she continued to gaze into Tara's eyes, she began to notice her vulnerability…began to sense her nervousness. This morning they'd officially become best friends. The crystal must be Tara's way of confirming that. How could she refuse the gift without hurting Tara? The simple answer was that she couldn't.

"You really want me to have it?" she asked her huskily. "It's like a family heirloom or something. Are you sure you wanna give it to me…?"

"I am," Tara confirmed. "You're my best friend Willow," she explained huskily, her fear of rejection becoming more pronounced. "And I-I wanna give you something to—"

"You don't have to give me anything for that," Willow interrupted, knowing where Tara was heading with this. "I—"

"But I want to," Tara insisted, her pulse racing. "I've never had a best friend before…and it would mean a lot to me…"

Willow's smile widened as she reached for the crystal, unable to stop her eyes from tearing up with emotion. "Oh Tara," she choked out as she covered the crystal with her hands.

The instant Willow's hands touched the crystal and her fingers brushed against Tara's, both girls felt a surge of energy engulf them. The crystal acted as a conduit—intensifying their connection and allowing their energy to merge together in a kind of mutual exchange. Willow could feel Tara's energy making its way inside her, while Tara could feel Willow's in return.

This was the ultimate confirmation of friendship. Neither girl knew the total extent of what they'd just done, but nevertheless, they were now bonded. Whether they'd intended this to happen or not, as of now, they would be forever linked in friendship; best friends for life.

They simply stared into each other's eyes, held onto the crystal, and absorbed the sensation of their best friend's energy buzzing inside them. They felt incredibly invigorated as they continued to gaze into one another's eyes. Neither girl had ever felt like this before, and their emotions were running all over the place as tears formed in their eyes.

Finally taking the crystal from Tara's hands, Willow leaned over and pulled her in for a warm hug. Tara responded by wrapping her own arms around Willow and dropping her head to her shoulder. They held onto each other for a long while, closing their eyes as they let their emotions take over.

"Thank you," Willow whispered a few minutes later, turning her head to softly kiss Tara's cheek.

"Mmm," Tara moaned and pressed a return kiss against Willow's. "You're welcome," she whispered huskily, moving her head back to Willow's shoulder.

The girls were reluctant to let go of one another, but after a few more minutes had gone by, they slowly began to realize that they were hugging each other for far too long. As friends, hugging was acceptable—as was a kiss on the cheek.

However, what they were doing now was more than that, but neither girl was willing to admit it. Although, in all fairness, Tara knew it meant more than just friendship to her, but because she knew Willow was straight, she refused to believe it meant more to Willow.

Willow on the other hand had convinced herself that this was only about friendship and magick. She and Tara were best friends who shared a magickal link with one another. What other reason could there be for the way she felt…?

When they eventually pulled away from one another, Willow gazed into Tara's eyes and smiled. Tara smiled back and they stood there in silence—sharing a meaningful moment.

Willow was the first to speak, her ever-increasing embarrassment spurring her on. "We should, uh…you know…"

With that, the girls headed off to the library in silence—lost in their own thoughts.

"Hey Giles," Willow greeted as she and Tara entered the library. "Are you in here?"

Giles poked his head from behind a bookshelf on the second floor. "Hello Willow," he smiled, making his way down the steps.

"There's someone I want you to meet," she turned towards Tara and smiled. "This is Tara. She's the girl I've been telling you about. The one who's been teaching me all about magick."

"It's n-nice to m-m-meet you Mr. Giles," Tara briefly shook the older man's hand.

"Likewise," Giles replied. "So, um…Willow speaks very highly of you as a teacher," he ventured.

"From what she's told me," Giles continued. "You've been teaching her all about control and the way of nature."

"Yeah," Tara smiled, her blush deepening. "It's what my mom t-taught me. She says that if you w-want to practice magicks, you n-need to be at one with the Earth and with nature…"

Giles smiled at the young Wiccan's words, finding her attitude quite commendable. It was refreshing to hear a young person talk like that. He knew from his own experiences that nature had been the last thing on his mind when he'd gotten into the magicks during his Ripper years.

A large reason for his disapproval of Willow's interest in the magicks had to do with the fact that he saw a lot of himself in the young girl. He was afraid that she would follow the same path he had…one that would inevitably lead to her ultimate destruction. Willow was like a daughter to him, and he wished nothing but the best for her.

Ever since Willow had told him about her new teacher however, he'd found himself worrying less and less about her. The books she brought with her, the exercises she practiced…they were all very sensible and safe. He was very happy to see that she'd found a responsible teacher. Maybe if he'd had someone to set him on the right path when he'd been younger… he might not have taken things so far…crossed so many lines.

It had worried him to see Willow spending so much time with Amy. The girl was anything but a good teacher of magicks. Not only had her mother been a purveyor of dark magicks…but Amy herself was no saint. He hadn't forgotten that love spell she'd done for Xander…any self-respecting witch would know better than to mess with such magicks. Somehow, he could tell that Tara would never have done such a spell.

He was glad to finally have the opportunity to meet with the girl. From what Willow had told him, Tara had been a great help to them on patrol, and was teaching her a lot of helpful spells. Yes, he thought to himself, she is definitely someone who can be useful to have around on the Hellmouth. What's more, it was good to hear someone call him 'Mr. Giles' for once. She was a very polite and respectful girl. Maybe her manners and attitude would rub off on the others. Somehow he doubted that would happen though. He could never imagine Xander or Buffy calling him 'Mr. Giles.' The thought was ludicrous at best.

"You have a very commendable attitude," he told the young Wiccan. "I'm very impressed with what Willow's told me about you. It's rare to see young people so in tune with the way of nature. I just hope Willow actually listens to your advice," he quipped, giving Willow a pointed smile.

Giles smiled and before he could think of anything to say, he noticed something glittering in Willow's hands. "What have you got there?" he asked, moving towards the young girl.

Willow held it up for his inspection. "It's a Dolls-eye crystal. Tara gave it to me," she told him proudly.

"That's a very powerful crystal," he noted. "And very rare," he sighed. "In my younger days, I searched everywhere, but could never find one."

"You should take very good care of it Willow," he told her seriously. "And be careful with it…"

"I will," she replied firmly. The crystal meant more to her than Giles would ever realize. It wasn't just a tool for enhancing her power during a spell…It was a gift from Tara. And not just any gift. The crystal was a symbol of their friendship, and that was something she would cherish for a long time to come.

"So, um…anyway," she ventured, turning to face Tara. She was suddenly eager to spend some alone-time with her. "We should get going. It's time for today's lesson," she explained.

"Right," Tara smiled, backing up Willow's story. If the girl wanted her lesson, who was she to refuse? "It was nice meeting you Mr. Giles."

"Thank you," Tara blushed as she followed Willow to the exit. She was very pleased she'd made a good impression on the girl's mentor. He seemed like a good person…and most importantly, he cared a lot about Willow. She could sense the fatherly love emanating from him, and she couldn't help but warm to him as a result of it.

However, she'd also sensed that Giles himself was no stranger to magicks…and not just good magicks…she could sense a faint tinge of darkness around him. Although, the darkness seemed to be mostly behind him. He must've dabbled in the dark arts at one stage…the kind of darkness that never leaves you completely.

However, she could also sense he was a good person…sense that he'd done his best to purge himself of his bad deeds. She more than anyone knew that nothing was ever black or white in this world. She was the last person to judge someone because they'd succumbed to evil at one stage. The important thing was that he'd moved passed it.

"What is it?" Willow asked, noticing Tara's introspection. "What were you thinking?"

"I sensed a darkness in him," she explained, feeling the need to be totally open with Willow. "It was in his past…but…"

"You sensed that?'' Willow raised her eyebrow in surprise. At Tara's nod, she continued—deciding to tell her about Ripper. "Wow…you sensed the Ripper in him."

"It's a long story," Willow began. "You see…when Giles was younger, he kinda went through a rebellious stage. He was Mr. Dark Magicks Hates The World Ticking Time Bomb Guy. He got into some really dark stuff…that's how he got the name Ripper."

Tara chuckled as well. "I really do like him Will," Tara assured as their laughter died down. She knew it was important to her friend that she liked her mentor…and she wanted to let her know that she did.

"I'm glad," Willow grinned. "He means a lot to me and I…I'm glad you like each other."

Tara simply smiled in response and reached for Willow's hand. She was pleased when she felt the girl's gentle squeeze…and even more so when Willow didn't let go—holding her hand all the way back to her dorm.

A couple of days later, Tara opened the door to her best friend and frowned. The girl looked simply miserable. "What's wrong Willow?" She asked, as she closed the door behind her.

Willow gave Tara a forced smile and sat down on her bed. "Nothing…" she ventured unconvincingly.

Tara took a seat next to her friend and gave her a doubtful look. She could tell something was bothering the girl and wasn't going to let her get away from telling her what it was. It was her duty as best friend to make sure she was okay.

Willow sighed at Tara's look and gave her a rueful smile. She could never hide anything from Tara. "Well…first off, I've got good news," she stalled.

"You were right about Faith," Willow began. "She was running away from something."

"It was a really old, cloven hoof vamp called Kakistos. It turns out that this vamp killed her Watcher…"

"You got it," Willow nodded. "She and Buffy went after it last night, and Faith managed to dust it."

"So all's good?" Tara asked with a smile. "But what happens to Faith now? Without a Watcher, I mean…"

"Oh, Giles called the Council and she's gonna stick around here for a while until a new Watcher is sent."

Willow sighed and kicked off her shoes. She then made her way up the bed and crossed her legs yoga style. "It's nothing really…"

Tara moved up the bed as well and sat cross-legged opposite her friend. "Will…" she coaxed, knowing the girl was stalling.

"It's Angel," Willow explained. "You remember that curse I told you about?" At Tara's nod, she continued with her story, "Well, apparently the spell worked."

"Buffy just told us—me and Giles—that Angelus got his soul back…but not before he'd opened the portal to hell. Buffy didn't kill Angelus…she had to kill Angel…"

"Uh huh," Willow frowned. "She told him she loved him, then she kissed him, and then she killed him. No wonder she ran away," she sighed. "It must have been terrible for her…killing someone she loved…oh Tara," she suddenly burst into tears. "It's all my fault," she cried. "I did the curse…it worked…only it worked too late. If only I'd managed it earlier…done it better. She had to kill Angel…"

"Hey…" Tara said softly, reaching her hands for Willow. "C'mere," she wrapped the girl in a soothing hug. "It's okay Will," she whispered into her ear as she began to cry softly. "It's okay…shh…it's okay…"

Willow cried on Tara's shoulder for a long while. She just let herself go…let the tears flow, and let her best friend comfort her. She felt so terrible for the pain she must've caused Buffy and felt entirely responsible for the fact that she'd run away. No wonder Buffy had said she wouldn't understand…had been unwilling to talk with her about why she'd left. It was all her fault. If she hadn't done the spell, then Buffy would've had to kill Angelus—not Angel. On the other hand, if she'd done the spell earlier, then Buffy wouldn't have had to kill him at all. Why did she have to be such a bungler?

Tara let Willow have her cry in silence, merely whispering a soothing 'it's okay' every now and then. After a while though, she realized that she'd need to say something more eventually. She had a good idea of the thoughts that were probably going through Willow's head right now, and she needed to address them.

"Yes it is," Willow mumbled against her shoulder. "I shouldn't have done the spell…or if I'd done it sooner…"

"Hey," Tara interjected, gently stroking Willow's hair. "You can't blame yourself. How were you to know what would happen? You did what you could…you did your best. Buffy understands that. She doesn't hate you for it…and you shouldn't hate yourself either."

"Oh Will," Tara sighed and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. "I know you feel bad now, but who knows…if you hadn't done the spell…maybe we'd all be dead now. You don't know…and you can't keep blaming yourself."

Willow knew Tara was right, but she just couldn't accept it…the thought of what Buffy must've gone through was eating her up inside. She hated causing her friend pain, hated the thought of her killing Angel and most of all, she hated herself.

Tara could tell that Willow wasn't going to relax anytime soon; she needed to do something more. With determination, she focused her mind and began to release a calming energy. She channeled it towards Willow, allowing her energy to merge with the girl's, to engulf her, and to soothe her distress.

As Tara continued to move her hands in a gentle caress against her back, against her hair…Willow suddenly began to feel the effects of her energy. She recognized it all too well and wrapped her arms tighter around Tara. She loved being comforted in this manner and after a while, she began to gradually feel her tears subsiding.

"I love it when you do this," she whispered—her lips inadvertently moving against the skin of Tara's neck.

"Mmm hmm," Willow confirmed. "It makes me feel so relaxed…so peaceful. Your energy is just so…so…mmm."

Tara chuckled and pressed her lips against Willow's cheek in a brief kiss. She loved how Willow tended to replace adjectives with sounds…it was one of her quirky speech habits and she found it utterly adorable. "So you feel better?" she asked, moving her head back to Willow's shoulder.

"How do you do it?" Willow asked her softly. "Every time I feel upset about something…you always make me feel better…"

Willow pulled away and looked into Tara's eyes. "Yeah…" she smiled, her body feeling warmed through with emotion. Impulsively, she leaned over and tenderly kissed Tara's cheek. "Thank you."

Tara just smiled in response as a blush crept into her cheeks. She didn't know what to say right now. The new level of intimacy she and Willow had reached lately was unnerving her somewhat. She cared about the girl so much and her heart felt near to bursting with emotion.

"That's what best friends are for…" she ventured, forcing the words out to cover her sudden shyness.

"Yeah," Willow chuckled. "Oh," she sighed, once her laughter had died down. She'd just remembered she was gonna be late. "I should get going…"

"I know," Willow sighed. "It's just that Oz is going out of town with the Dingoes tomorrow, and he wanted to take me out to dinner tonight…"

"Oh…" Tara forced herself to smile. "Th-that's cool. I mean, um…yeah…you-you should spend time with your b-b-boyfriend."

Willow could sense Tara's disappointment, and she suddenly felt a little guilty. She and Tara always practiced magicks and hung out after school. It had become like a ritual to them. What's more, the girl had probably even organized a special lesson plan. And now, without warning, she was ditching the girl to go out with her boyfriend. Man…she was the worst best friend ever.

"Hey," Willow sighed and reached for Tara's hands. "I'm sorry…I-I'm a bad friend—a bad student. I should have told you. I don't have to go if you don't want. I'll call Oz and cancel…"

"Oh, no," Tara shook her head vigorously. "You should go. I understand…really. You won't see him for a few days. You have to say goodbye to him…he's your boyfriend."

"He'll only be gone a few days though," Willow protested, feeling like a heel for even thinking of ditching Tara. "He won't mind…"

Tara smiled and gently squeezed Willow's hands. "But I will," she explained. "I don't wanna get in the way of your relationship. As your best friend, I'm ordering you to go out with your boyfriend," she chuckled, doing her best to make light of the situation. "Okay?"

"You sure you don't mind?" Willow insisted…still feeling bad about having to go.

"Well okay," Willow relented, even though she still felt a little guilty, "if you insist…"

She quickly located her sneakers and laced them up. When she was finished with her shoes, Willow moved back towards the bed and took a seat next to Tara.

"Thanks again Tara," she said softly, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "I mean it…you're the bestest friend ever," she chuckled.

Tara watched in silence as Willow left her room—unable to shake her sudden depression. Much as she knew she'd done the right thing—insisting Willow go out with Oz—a part of her couldn't help but wish she hadn't. She'd gotten so used to spending every afternoon with Willow…practicing magicks, talking, having dinner together…and just hanging out doing their own thing, like reading a spell book, doing homework and studying.

It felt weird not to be with Willow right now. Although, she realized how selfish she was being. She knew Willow had a boyfriend. It was only right for her to spend some time with him as well. She needed to learn how to curb her feelings better. Just because she had a crush on the girl, didn't give her the right to manipulate her time. She needed to accept that she and Willow would never be anything more than just friends.

She sighed at that thought and moved off the bed. She needed to do something to forget about her problems. Switching on her stereo, she put in her favorite easy-listening CD, before going over to her bookshelf. She pulled out a few of the spell books she accessed on a regular basis and reached all the way back to where she kept her stash of lesbian romance novels. If she couldn't have romance in her own life…she might as well satisfy herself vicariously.

A week later, the gang was all lounging around on a couch at the Bronze. As they sat in silence, listening to the Dingoes playing, Tara couldn't help but smile—she had to admit, they were pretty good. Willow seemed to think so as well, and as she glanced at her friend, noting how enthralled the girl looked, she sighed in frustration. Why did she have to torture herself this way? She knew Willow cared for Oz, so why did she constantly allow herself to be bothered by it? Why hadn't she learned to control her emotions by now?

Faith watched all this in silence—alternating her gaze from Tara, to the oblivious Red. So, she thought to herself, Blondie's not one for driving stick. Poor gal, Red's so caught up on Wolf Boy she'd never switch teams. Turning her gaze back to Tara, Faith gave her the once over. She'd been with girls before—truth was, she didn't really care who she did when she felt the urge for some satisfaction. All she cared about was how good something felt and she was not one to limit her pleasure just to fit in with social norms.

As she took in Tara's features—her clear skin, her ample breasts, her curvaceous hips, her luscious lips—Faith began to feel a sudden throbbing between her legs. Blondie sure is a hottie. I wonder what it would be like to watch her come. I bet she'd be a wildcat in the sack—most shy ones are. Too bad she's got her eyes set on Red—I'd love the chance to drag her away somewhere…pin her down…taste her…fuck her. Oh yeah, I bet she'd taste as sweet as honey…

"Hey guys," Faith stood up, suddenly feeling the urge to kill something. She figured she'd go on a quick patrol—get in some vamp dustings to take her mind off things. Who knows, she'd probably come back here afterwards and find herself some stud she could ride hard into oblivion—or maybe even a filly. Or, better yet…both. She hadn't had a threesome in a while, maybe that would satisfy her sudden hunger.

"I'm gonna head off," she continued. "I feel the need to do some serious vamp dusting."

Tara stood up as well, deciding she'd tortured herself enough for one evening. She didn't know how much more she could take—watching Willow dote over Oz on stage—it was just too much for her to handle.

"Sure," Faith grinned knowingly. Poor Blondie, I guess she got tired of pining over Red. The girl is so blind—passing up on the chance to play with Blondie. She doesn't know what she's missing. I bet she's never tasted the sweet nectar of pussy juice…never had a girl work a little tongue action on her clit. Although, for that matter—I don't think she's let Wolf-Boy get that far either. I bet she's waiting for 'true love'—probably thinks it actually exists. I wonder how long it'll take her to realize it doesn't. Love is for suckers.

"You're going?" Willow frowned—not liking the notion. "Why are you going? What's wrong?"

"Oh," Willow sighed. "Well…you want me to come with? I'm sure Oz won't mind. We can go to my place…I can make you some tea or something…"

"Oh no," Tara shook her head, not wanting to ruin Willow's night just because she had issues. "I'll be fine…really. I'll take a couple of aspirin and go to sleep. I don't wanna ruin your night. You should stay…"

"You heard her," Faith interjected, deciding to come to Tara's aid. "She said she'd be fine. You stay…be with your Wolfie when he's done playin' on stage. I'll make sure she gets home all right."

Willow frowned, feeling strangely annoyed with Faith's attitude. Who was she to tell her what Tara did and didn't want? And why would Tara ask Faith to walk her home? Well, okay, it was probably the Slayer thing. And being on a Hellmouth…who better to keep you safe at night than a Slayer?

"I'll see you guys later," Tara glanced at Buffy, Xander and Cordelia, before turning to face Willow.

"Yeah bye," Cordelia replied absently—not really caring one way or another if the girl stayed.

Willow felt like protesting Tara's departure, but decided against it. What would she protest about? Tara felt sick, so she'd asked a Slayer to walk her home. What was so wrong with that? Nothing! So why didn't she like the idea? Why did she feel as if she should be the one walking Tara home—not Faith?

Oh yeah, and she'd noticed that look Faith had given Tara a moment ago. If she wasn't mistaken…there was definitely something predatory in that look…or at the very least something that made her feel a little uneasy. Why had Faith been looking at Tara like that? What did it mean? And why was she so bothered by it? Taking a deep breath, she decided to let it go. What could she do or say anyway?

Tara gave one last smile to the gang, before turning to follow her escort. She didn't really want to leave…felt a little bad about her white lie…but she didn't have much of a choice. She wasn't a masochist, and there was only so much pain she could handle. And even though she was determined not to let it bother her—it would still take her some time to get used to seeing the affection between Willow and Oz.

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A Fluke Between Two Wiccans

By SpikeMe4Now4200

Copyright © 2003

Spikeme4now4200@yahoo.com.au