WHEN SHADOWS FALL

BY

KINETIC-KID

Rating:              NC-17 (XXX - Sex will be happening)

Disclaimer:        Definitely no money being made. All characters belong to Joss Whedon and ME. I own nothing except whatever characters I may make up for this story.

Distribution:      Oh yeah, anywhere, anytime. Just make sure I get credit and let me know where it is.

Spoilers:          Come on!  Surely you've seen every episode multiple times!

Feedback:         Please. Please, PLEASE. I live for feedback. I get   irritable and upset if I don’t get any and I might not continue writing.  Of course, if you don’t like the story and think it sucks you may not want me to continue!

Pairing:              B/T   X/A

Summary:         A blonde Wiccan's decision to visit the Bronze alone one night sets everyone’s lives on a different path. 

Chapter 1

Buffy runs a hand through her hair, still tense and angry at the confrontation she’d had a few minutes ago with Spike.  Knowing it was going to take a lot to make the bleached blonde vampire understand she doesn’t want to have anything else to do with him.  Digging a hand in her pocket, she pulls out the cash for the door fee, handing it to the person before walking into the Bronze.  Quickly making her way up the stairs, she looks for any vampires, before trotting back down to slowly cruise the club.  Not feeling any vampires or anything else amiss, Buffy finally allows her eyes to look over the people inside.

Seeing some of the regulars dancing and drinking, Buffy chuckles quietly at their drunken antics, before continuing to check out the people.  Something she doesn’t take much time to do anymore.  Letting herself enjoy people watching instead of always in a hurry to patrol and kill whatever demons are around, before hurrying home to be there at a decent hour for Dawn, sinceWillow is usually a no-show or gets home extremely late.  But with Dawn away for Spring break with a friend from school, Buffy realizes she can take her time and maybe enjoy life a little. 

Scanning the people sitting at the booths, Buffy frowns slightly seeing the back of a familiar looking blonde sitting in one of the small booths by herself.  It takes a moment for Buffy to become aware that she was closing the distance between her and Tara.  Shaking her head, before allowing a small grin to cross her face, she continues from where she’d hesitated. 

As she gets closer, Buffy tilts her head as she sees an untouched drink sitting in front of Tara, with the ice almost completely melted and Tara’s fingers playing around the edge of the glass and through the condensation on the sides.  Inhaling deeply, Buffy frowns as she realizes its alcohol.  Easing beside Tara, Buffy leans down and whispers softly.  “I didn’t know you drank.” 

Tara chuckles quietly, having sensed the slayer approaching.  Shifting the glass away to the edge of the table, she looks up and waves to the other side of the booth.  “I don’t.  Obviously.”  Tara grins crookedly as she watches Buffy take her up on her offer and sit down.

“Then why?”  Buffy questions looking at the drink before looking back at Tara, blinking as she actually takes in the way she looks.  Looking at the soft hair, gently curled, falling about her face enticingly to the softly made up face with a shiny gloss on her pouty lips down to the navy blue silk button down shirt, unbuttoned to the edge of her purple bra, showing an enticing amount of cleavage.  Buffy swallows hard and shifts her eyes down to the table as she feels a heavy dose of desire working through her body.  ‘Okay, Buffy.  No ogling Willow’s ex-girlfriend.  Very serious bad mojo there.’  Buffy mentally chastises herself. 

Tara shrugs and looks out at the crowd of people, unaware of Buffy’s scrutiny.  “Sounded good at the time.”

Buffy slowly looks back up, tilting her head.  “I had better ask this before someone comes and beats me up... but are you here on a date?”  Buffy questions hesitantly, looking over Tara’s features again, though being careful not to let her eyes drop below the Wiccan’s lips.

Tara chuckles and smiles sadly.  “No.  No date.  Just kind of felt like going out on the prowl.”  Tara’s eyes twinkle momentarily before she looks down. 

Buffy blinks and opens her mouth, before snapping it shut, her mind swirling around the word ‘prowl’.  ‘Surely, she doesn’t mean that the way I’m thinking it!’  Buffy mentally smacks herself trying to get the thoughts out of her head as to Tara looking for a one-night stand. 

Tara glances back up, seeing the emotions crossing Buffy’s face.  Having to laugh at Buffy’s thoughts showing so plainly, Tara shakes her head at the slayer.  “Your thoughts are pretty much right on the money, Buffy.  I had a wild hair and decided to go out and see if I couldn’t find a willing partner to jump into bed with me.”  Seeing Buffy’s eyes widen in shock, Tara giggles.  “You should see your face.”  Shaking her head at the slayer again, Tara grins crookedly, her eyes starting to twinkle mischievously.  “Come on.  Fess up, Slayer.  Haven’t you ever wanted to just take someone to bed and fuck their brains out, no commitment and no worries?  A quick kiss goodbye in the morning, and go on about your life?” 

Buffy’s eyebrows dip down over her eyes, furrowing deeply.  “Tara?  Tara Maclay?”  Buffy questions, starting to look more intently in Tara’s eyes, trying to figure out of it actually was Tara sitting in front of her.

Tara raises an eyebrow and laughs softly.  “Yes, it’s me, Buffy.  No, I haven’t been abducted by aliens, or shot with some venom from a demon to change my personality...”  Tara reaches over to gently grasp the slayer’s hand in hers, from where it was lying on top of the table, pressing the slayer’s fingers against her neck so the slayer can feel her warmth and pulse. “I haven’t been turned into a vampire, or any other thoughts that might be going through your head.”

Buffy’s eyes drop to where her fingers are pressed against the warm flesh, the pulse pounding steadily and strongly under her fingertips.  Raising her eyes back to Tara, Buffy leaves her fingers there even after Tara releases her hand, unconsciously stroking the soft skin.  “I have to admit, I’m surprised.”  Buffy explains as she continues to look at Tara.

Tara shrugs and smiles.  “Yeah, I kind of surprised myself, too.  It isn’t something I’ve ever done before, but it seemed right to do it now, for some reason.”  Tara looks down, smiling as Buffy finally gently removes her fingers from her neck, wondering if the slayer had felt where her pulse had started to pick up from the fingertips having caressed gently over her neck. 

Buffy swallows and eases her hand away from Tara, feeling the faster pounding of her pulse and the heat that seemed to increase at the point of contact.  “Found anyone you’re interested in?”  Buffy finally questions hoarsely. 

“Not anyone that would be interested in me.”  Tara finally explains, her eyes taking in the slayer’s features, silently wondering if Buffy has any idea how much she likes her.  Knowing it isn’t something that will go anywhere, because Buffy is definitely about as straight as they come.  Just thinking about how Buffy and Riley were together would put paid to any thoughts that there might be a chance Buffy would consider being with a woman.  Tara sighs and looks around the bar again, taking in the sights and sounds.

“Who wouldn’t be interested in you?”  Buffy blinks, surprised at the Wiccan’s words.

Tara chuckles and raises an eyebrow as she looks back at Buffy.  “Well...  Women that are obviously straight would be a good start.” 

Buffy shakes her head lightly before brushing her fingers over her lips as she thinks for a few moments.  “Is there really such a thing?”  Buffy finally questions seriously.

Tara blinks and stares at the slayer.  “Is there really such a thing?  What do you mean?”  Tara questions while looking at the slayer, trying to understand what she’s asking.

“Is there such a thing as a straight woman?”  Buffy questions again, leaning back against the back of the booth to look at Tara.  “As in a woman that wouldn’t even consider or think about being with another woman.”

Tara starts to laugh before shaking her head.  “Possibly thinking about it is one thing, Buffy.  But actually considering the thought of being with a woman is something again.  Being turned on by a woman, wanting to kiss them and touch them...  That’s something else, and I would have to say, yes.  There are straight women.”  Tara tilts her head, smirking at the slayer.  “I’m looking at one right now.”  Tara winks at Buffy before chuckling as Buffy blushes.

‘Not with the thoughts and feelings going through my mind and body at this moment in time.’  Buffy mentally mutters, as the thoughts of what it would be like to kiss Tara’s soft, pouty lips, wanting to find out if Tara’s skin is as soft and silky across the rest of her body as her neck is.  Groaning quietly, Buffy props her elbows up on the table and drops her head onto her hands, before finally whispering.  “I think you may need to get your gay-dar re-aligned, Tara.”  Buffy sighs quietly, before lifting her face to stare into surprised blue eyes.  “I can guaran-damn-tee you that I have had some very serious thoughts running through my mind.  And my body seems to be more than willing to follow along right now.”

Tara blinks in surprise at Buffy, watching the slayer curiously.  With the past tense the slayer used, Tara figures that maybe there was a woman that she might have been interested in before and just never acted on it, but with her present tense with her second sentence, it makes Tara frown in contemplation.  “So you’ve been attracted, seriously attracted, to a woman in the past?” Tara questions quietly. 

Buffy chuckles quietly, as she stares intently at Tara for a few long minutes, before finally coming to a decision.  Dropping her arms to the table and leaning in conspiratorially, Buffy drops a not so subtle hint.  “I guess it depends on what you consider the past.  Is the last ten or so minutes the past to you?” 

Tara stares in disbelief at the slayer, her mouth opening and shutting in surprise at the serious hazel eyes, realizing Buffy isn’t joking with her.  “You...”  Shaking her head, Tara shifts forward slightly on the booth’s seat.  “Are you just curious, Buffy?”  Tara finally questions, her eyes looking at Buffy’s hands to slowly rise to look into her eyes again. 

Buffy slowly shakes her head.  “I mean, yes I am curious... very curious.”  Buffy admits softly, before slowly taking her time to get her thoughts in order.  “You are an extremely beautiful woman, and I am attracted to you.  Truth be known, I’ve been attracted to you for a while but I’ve always kind of shoved the thought away and wouldn’t think about it when it popped up.”  Buffy explains quietly, running a hand through her hair as she finally examines her feelings a little more.  Realizing that she has been thinking about Tara off and on for over a year now, but for obvious reasons, not allowing more than a brief thought to cross her mind. 

Tara blinks at the slayer, her mind stalling at the realization that Buffy is attracted to her.  Whether it’s just physical, or possibly something more Tara doesn’t know.  Continuing to consider the slayer in front of her, Tara tilts her head and questions softly.  “Is it a physical attraction, Buffy?  I mean...”  Tara takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out before continuing.  “Because I can honestly tell you, that I am attracted to you.  Any person in their right mind would be.  But I would also have to admit, that if it was curiosity only I don’t think I could deal with us being together like that.  I care for you more than that would allow, and it would probably end up hurting me emotionally.  And that’s something that I really couldn’t deal with right now on top of everything else that has happened.”

Buffy’s mouth opens slightly in surprise as she listens to Tara, never having known that the woman was attracted to her, and from her words more than attracted.  Obviously the Wiccan cared for her, also... not that Buffy ever thought she didn’t, but just thought Tara liked her as a friend, nothing more.  “You actually care for me more than just as a friend?”  Buffy finally questions, looking intently at Tara.

Tara slowly nods her head, and smiles softly at Buffy.  “Yes, Buffy.  I care for you more than just a friend.”  Tara shrugs her shoulders and glances down for a moment.  “I love you.”  Tara slowly looks back up seeing the stunned look on Buffy’s face.  “I love you deeper and more strongly than what would be considered normal for friendship.”

Buffy slowly edges her hand across the small table to place her fingertips softly on top of Tara’s fingers.  “You weren’t ever going to say anything?”

Tara shakes her head and grins crookedly at the slayer.  “Why cause myself more discomfort by hitting on someone that I thought was as straight as an arrow?  Then there’s the whole best friend with Willow thing to consider...”  Tara mentions quietly, her smile turning into a frown as she thinks about Willow, and what the redhead had done to her. 

Buffy softly strokes her fingers over Tara’s hand.  “That shouldn’t really have anything to do with us, since you two aren’t seeing each other anymore... though I can see where this would cause a problem.”  Buffy admits quietly as she looks at Tara’s hand, watching as she strokes her fingers over Tara’s.  “Can I ask something?”  Buffy finally questions after a few minutes of the two women sitting there companionably in silence each lost in their own thoughts.

“Of course.”  Tara drags herself from the thought of wondering what would happen if she and Buffy were to act on their mutual attraction.

“What exactly happened between you and Willow?”  Buffy whispers as she looks up into blue eyes.  “All she would ever say was that you two broke up because of the magic.”

Tara sighs quietly and looks down.  “I guess in a roundabout way, it was because of the magic.  But it was ultimately what Willow did with the magic, and how she treated me that was actually to blame.”

Buffy bites her lip and watches Tara, seeing the sadness crossing the blue eyes.  “Tara?  If you don’t want to talk about it...”  Buffy trails off watching as Tara slowly shakes her head. 

“No.  I haven’t spoken with anyone about what happened, so it would probably be cathartic to do so.”  Tara admits quietly.  “I’m going to get a soda before we start, would you like one?”  Tara questions as she gently eases her hand away from Buffy’s soothing caress. 

“Let me.”  Buffy waves Tara to stay seated before she hops up and runs to the bar, ordering a couple sodas, carrying them back to the table.

“Thank you.”  Tara smiles softly at the slayer, watching as Buffy slides back into her seat, wiggling around slightly as she makes herself comfortable. 

Buffy smiles back shyly as she lifts the soda and drinks a third of it down, not realizing how thirsty she’d been. 

Tara takes a couple small sips of her drink as she watches Buffy, smiling at the slayer’s shyness.  Slowly relaxing, Tara tilts her head thinking about Willow.  “I guess you could say things more or less started right before my run in with Glory.  Willow and I had a fight, and she stormed off.  It was about a combination of things, including magic.”  Tara shrugs and looks down, running her fingers through the condensation on the table from her glass.  “We had another argument a short time before I left...  She did a spell on me taking away the memory of an argument we had.”  Tara slowly raises her eyes to Buffy.  “I was able to reverse the spell and remember what it was we argued over.”  Tara shakes her head, sighing quietly. 

“What was it?”  Buffy questions softly, watching Tara, while her mind takes in the thought that Willow actually placed a spell on Tara to take away her memory, the thought flitting through her mind that that was worse than what Glory had done, since Willow supposedly loved Tara. 

“We argued about the magic.  Dawn had more or less run away and we were here...” Tara looks up at the walk above them. “It was crowded and she wanted to shift everybody that was in here, that wasn’t a 14 year old girl, into another dimension to make it easier to look for her.”  Tara hears the deeply inhaled breath come from the slayer.  Slowly nodding her head, Tara looks at Buffy.  “So not a good idea.”  Tara runs a hand through her hair.  “Well after I finally talked her out of it, later on we had an argument about her abuse of magic, and I asked if she just wanted me to shut up.  When she came back angrily at me with ‘That would be a good start’, it shocked the hell out of me.  I just looked at her the shock was probably pretty obvious on my face, before I finally became angry and told her if I didn’t love her so much, I would.”  Tara picks up the glass and takes another sip as she thinks for a few minutes.  “Needless to say, she did the spell right after that argument.  I found out the following day when Dawnie made a comment about how she was happy that Willow and I had made up and weren’t fighting anymore.” 

Buffy shakes her head in utter disbelief that Willow would do something like that.  “I just can’t believe that she would do something like that...”  Quickly reaching and covering Tara’s hand, Buffy looks at her.  “I’m not saying that I don’t believe you, I do, completely.  It just seems so out of character from the Willow I grew up with and have known all these years.”

Tara slowly relaxes and nods her head.  “Those were pretty much my thoughts, also.”  Tara finally admits smiling softly as Buffy leaves her hand on top of hers.  “It took me a little while to research what happened, then things kind of got put on hold, because I was going to leave then.”

“Why didn’t you?”  Buffy questions hesitantly, watching as Tara’s eyes shift to look out at the dance floor, before slowly coming back to settle on her.

“That’s when the whole thing with Sweet happened.”  Tara whispers softly, watching sadly as the slayer’s eyes widen in surprise and shock.

“God.”  Buffy shakes her head, blinking as she thinks about that time, remembering at the beginning how Willow and Tara had been sneaking away and being all lovey-dovey... realizing that Willow had to have taken Tara’s memory right before that.  Shivering as a wave of revulsion goes through her body, it occurs to Buffy that Tara never would have probably been with Willow physically, if it wasn’t for that spell. 

Tara watches Buffy for a few moments, seeing her obvious look of revulsion as the same thought occurred to the slayer that Tara keeps thinking about.  “Like rape.”  Tara whispers softly.

Buffy’s haunted eyes look up as she slowly nods in agreement.  “That’s what it made me think of.”  Buffy admits quietly, her heart pounding hard in her chest, her stomach slightly queasy at the thought. 

“After I confronted her with it, later on, she promised me she wouldn’t do any magic for a week.”  Tara shakes her head and a sarcastic laugh escapes between her lips.  “Want to take a guess as to how long she lasted?”  Tara tilts her head, looking curiously at Buffy.

“No.”  Buffy shakes her head, wondering if she ever knew her best friend at all.

“Less than twelve hours.”  Tara continues after a few moments, seeing the curious look in Buffy‘s eyes even with her negative response.  “That’s when she did the big forget spell on all of us.  Of course, she didn’t mean to have everyone forget everything, just me our arguments about magic, and you...”  Tara trails of, not knowing if she should continue.

“What about me?”  Buffy leans forward, frowning heavily.  “She meant for me to be part of a forget spell?”

Tara slowly nods and places her other hand gently over Buffy’s.  “That’s where she screwed up.  She tried to combine a forget spell together for both of us.  Your portion was to forget that you were ever in Heaven.”  Tara explains quietly.  “After that happened, I moved out.”  Tara shrugs and looks down at their hands.  “I honestly don’t know if Willow thinks we’re going to get back together or not, but we’re not.”  Tara admits, sighing.  “I guess I should have a discussion with her, just in case.”

“You better.”  Buffy offers softly, her eyes sad.  “I think she believes that you’ll come back to her once she proves that she has the magic under control.”

“I can’t, Buffy.”  Tara looks up, tears making her eyes glassy.  “I can’t ever forget or forgive her for what she did.  I’ll never be able to trust her again, I would always wonder if something would happen where she would be tempted to try and fix our problems or arguments with magic.”

“I can understand that.”  Buffy places her other hand on top of Tara’s, gently turning it to thread her fingers through Tara’s.  “I didn’t mean to upset you by dragging this all up.”

Tara shakes her head while taking a deep calming breath. “No, sweetie.  I needed to get it out.”  Tara allows a small smile to cross her face.  “It’s kind of one of those things that when it first happens, you cry and cry and cry.  Then I kind of just didn’t think about it at all for the longest time.”  Tara tilts her head watching as Buffy watches her intently.  “But it kind of builds up, needing that last little bit to be let out and finding a calmness in the realization that once you lance it, it doesn’t hurt as much as it did.”

“Makes sense.”  Buffy understands what Tara’s saying, smiling softly at the Wiccan, Buffy glances down at their hands, watching as Tara’s thumb caresses softly across the top of her hand.  “Your skin is so soft.”  Buffy whispers before blinking and blushing at her comment.  “Sorry, don’t know where that came from.” 

Tara chuckles and squeezes Buffy’s hands softly.  “Thank you, sweetie.  And you don’t have anything to be sorry about.  Feel free to say whatever you want to me.”

“Anything?”  Buffy’s eyes start to twinkle and she slowly grins at the Wiccan.  Laughing quietly as Tara starts to laugh.

“Yes, anything.”  Tara continues chuckling for a few minutes.  “So, how was patrol tonight?”

“Okay.  Dusted a few vamps.”  Buffy admits quietly as she looks down at their hands, her eyes watching the pattern Tara’s thumb is rubbing over her hand.  “Ran into Spike.”

Tara frowns at the slayer’s words.  “How are things between you two?”  Tara finally questions hoarsely after a few moments.

Buffy raises her eyes, seeing the frown and the guarded look come into Tara’s blue eyes.  It hits her that they’re sitting there flirting with each other, and as far as Tara is aware, she’s still fucking Spike.  Mentally berating herself, Buffy squeezes Tara’s hands and shakes her head.  “I haven’t been with him for a few weeks.  He’s been pushing and trying to get me to get with him.”

Relaxing, Tara nibbles on her bottom lip.  “He’s not going to give you up easily, Buffy.”  Tara whispers quietly, her eyes searching the slayer’s hazel eyes.  “Has he tried to… become physical with you any of these times?”  Tara questions diplomatically.

Buffy sighs quietly, slowly nodding her head.  “He’s taken a couple swings at me, hoping I’ll retaliate and then…”  Buffy trails off blushing lightly. 

“He can trigger your sex drive for you to fuck him.”  Tara continues for the slayer, growling quietly under her breath at the vampire’s obviousness.  “Bastard.”  Tara lifts one of her hands from Buffy’s and runs it through her hair roughly as she thinks heavily.  

Buffy raises an eyebrow in surprise at Tara.  “I know we were kind of using the beating each other for foreplay, which I told you about, but what makes you say it’s a trigger?”

Tara blinks and focuses in on the slayer, watching her intently for a few minutes.  “You don’t realize…”  Tara trails off, slowly shaking her head as she looks down.  “Bear with me here for a second, Buffy.”  Tara tries to get her thoughts in order as how to phrase this to Buffy.

Buffy frowns watching Tara intently.  “Okay.”  Buffy finally agrees watching as the emotions cross Tara’s face.

Tara smiles briefly at Buffy before leaning in and speaking softly.  “I need your honesty regarding this.  I know you’ll probably want to automatically deny it, but there’s no need to, okay?” 

Buffy looks into Tara’s serious blue eyes and slowly nods her head.  “I’ll try.”  Buffy finally offers.

“Thank you.”  Tara quirks her lips before continuing.  “I honestly think this is something that has to do with your Slayer genes, for lack of another word.”  Tara tilts her head and looks at Buffy before reminding her.  “Honest answer, Buffy. When you’ve had a very rough night slaying, being beat up and beating up on demons, don’t you become extremely aroused?”

Buffy blushes darkly, her eyes dropping to her and Tara’s hands clasped together, her head shaking in the negative automatically, as she remembers Tara telling her she needed her honest answer.   Sighing quietly, Buffy finally nods her head, once, sharply.

“Thank you, sweetie.”  Tara smiles encouragingly at the slayer as Buffy slowly raises her eyes back to her.  “Not that other people don’t receive enjoyment and pleasure from pain, but I think part of your being the slayer probably causes more of a response than most people.  And the more violent your night is, the worse it is, I would assume?”

Buffy whimpers quietly as she looks back down briefly before raising her eyes again.  “Yes.”  Buffy finally whispers softly. 

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”  Tara reaches up to brush a finger over Buffy’s cheek, smiling softly at Buffy.  “But what I’m getting at, is that I believe Spike realizes that this is what happens, and he’s trying to force you into getting to that state so he can fuck you.” 

Buffy growls quietly, her eyes darkening in anger as she remembers Spike’s taunts and comments, his taking swings at her to make her fight him.  “That bastard!”  Buffy finally hisses lowly. 

“Am I right?”  Tara watches as Buffy slowly nods her head.

“I think so.  He’s always trying to irritate me, get me pissed off to where I’ll fight him.”  Buffy explains quietly, continuing to think about it.  “How the hell is he aware of that?”

“He’s been around for over a hundred years, Buffy.  Demons talk to each other, and I think he’s always watched you.  His senses are sharp, he may have heard, smelled or seen something that would have led him to believe it.  He’s bragged often enough about killing two previous slayers, surely he watched them trying to find out their weaknesses before finally fighting them.  He doesn’t strike me as the type that would take a chance with his un-life by fighting them without being pretty sure he has a damn good chance of beating them.”  Tara explains quietly, watching the slayer.

“Just what I wanted to be aware of… that bastard smelling me after fights.”  Buffy growls angrily, her eyes sparking.  “I bet he was doing it even before the chip was put in!”

“Sorry.”  Tara smiles sadly at Buffy.  “I’m not positive that’s what it is, Buffy.”

“You’re probably right.  He’s followed me around enough, and I know I can smell things from a pretty good distance, vampires can also.”  Buffy clenches her jaw at the thought of smelling like a damn dog in heat to the other demons when she’s fighting.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.”  Tara whispers softly, seeing the anger in Buffy’s eyes.

“No, Tara.”  Buffy takes a couple deep breaths to get control of her anger, slowly shaking her head as she comes to the realization that there isn’t anything she can do about her body’s reaction to fighting.  “It just pisses me off that demons are probably able to smell me when I’ve been fighting.”  Buffy admits, frowning.  “It never really occurred to me before.”

Tara bites her lip as she considers the problem.  “I think I remember reading a spell that was supposed to make something have no fragrance whatsoever.  But I’ll have to research it and see what it consists of, if you’d like me to?”  Tara offers, smiling at the slayer.

“I can’t ask you to do that, Tara.”  Buffy shakes her head, smiling at the Wiccan.  “I appreciate it, though.”

“Buffy, please let me look into it.  What would it hurt?”  Tara grins crookedly at the slayer.  “Plus it’ll give you a reason to come visit me.”  Tara wiggles her eyebrows at the slayer, chuckling as Buffy’s eyes narrow on her.

“I need a reason?”  Buffy jokes back with the Wiccan, slowly relaxing as she lets go of the rest of her anger. 

“No.”  Tara whispers seriously.  “You’re more than welcome to visit me anytime day or night, Buffy.”

Buffy searches the Wiccan’s eyes, seeing the seriousness and caring showing in the blue depths.  “Thank you, Tara.”

“No thanks necessary, Buffy.  I’ll be there for you, no matter what.”  Tara offers quietly, hoping to make Buffy understand that no matter what happens between them, she would always consider her a friend.

Buffy smiles softly at the Wiccan.  “I think that maybe we should talk with certain people, before taking this…”  Buffy tries to think of a proper word.

Tara chuckles softly.  “Attraction, caring, desire, wanting to jump each other’s bones?”

Buffy laughs, but also blushes at the same time.  “Were you always like this?”  Buffy finally questions, shaking her head as she looks into Tara’s twinkling eyes.

“Pretty much.  Just not quite so obvious.”  Tara grins crookedly at the slayer.  Picking up her soda, Tara finishes the drink watching Buffy.  “Is it such a surprise?”  Tara finally question softly after setting her empty glass back on the table.

Buffy blushes and does a half nod, half shake of her head. 

Tara raises an eyebrow at Buffy, chuckling quietly.  “Was that a yes or a no?”

“Both.”  Buffy bites her lip, blushing as she looks at Tara.  “I keep seeing you in my head like you were when you were first around us, shy and quiet.  But then I remember things from when you lived in the house…”  Buffy blushes again, looking down at the table. 

Tara studies Buffy, her eyes becoming distant as she thinks about what the slayer’s saying, before a loud laugh bursts from her.  “Naughty slayer!”  Tara winks at Buffy as the slayer jerks her head up to look at her when she laughed.

“TARA!”  Buffy’s eyes get wide at the obvious enjoyment that Tara is getting out of her embarrassment.  “I didn’t mean to.”  Buffy grumbles quietly, her lips starting to quirk as the funniness of the situation starts to sink in.  “Slayer hearing isn’t always a good thing, you know!! Especially when I’ve come home after an extremely busy night!”  Buffy growls, her eyes showing the laughter she’s holding in.

“Goddess!  I needed that.”  Tara wipes the tears from her face, smiling at Buffy.  Leaning in, Tara grins wickedly.

Buffy unconsciously leans in with Tara, smiling at the Wiccan.

“Play your cards right, Slayer, and you’ll learn first hand what causes those noises.”  Tara whispers at the same time she teases a finger down over Buffy’s lips, chin and neck, stopping at her shirt as she wiggles her eyebrows.

Buffy whimpers and captures Tara’s finger, holding it to her for a second before releasing it.  “Don’t tease the slayer, Tara.  I would be more than happy to say to hell with talking to everyone else, and drag your ass out of here.” 

“Are you forgetting something, Buffy?”   Tara questions softly, becoming serious.  Seeing the eyebrows of the slayer pulling down and bunching together into a frown, Tara looks knowingly at Buffy.  “Why did I come here tonight, Buffy?”

Buffy’s eyes widen in realization and she looks at Tara.  Buffy leans in even closer to Tara close enough to feel the Wiccan’s warm breath caressing over her lips.  “What would happen if we went back to your dorm room?” 

Tara’s eyes become smoky, turning gray as she allows her desire to show for the slayer.  “Do you want a stroke by stroke, kiss by kiss explanation of exactly what I would do to you?”

Buffy closes her eyes groaning quietly as she feels her own desire jump to the surface at Tara’s words.  Easing back a short distance, Buffy fights back her desire, before slowly opening her eyes to look at Tara.  “God!  That isn’t quite what I meant, Tara.”  Buffy finally hoarsely admits.  “I meant more of in the future between us personally and with the rest of the group.”

Tara blinks as she stomps on her desire, finally locking it back behind a very thin barrier.  “Sorry, kind of misunderstood what you were asking.  Between us?  Hopefully lots of seeing each other, loving each other, talking and maybe one day moving in together if we find out that we want to spend our lives together.  As for the rest of the gang, I guess it would depend on exactly how well they took us seeing each other.”  Tara shrugs as she takes a deep breath, slowly calming down.  “I can’t tell you what will happen regarding the rest of the group, Buffy.”

Buffy looks down at the table where Tara’s hands are clasped.  Placing her hands on top of Tara’s for a moment watching as Tara shifts one of her hands to thread their fingers together, Buffy looks up at Tara.  “What if, say four months down the road one of us decides that we don’t want to be with the other person anymore?”

Tara tilts her head as she considers Buffy.  “Sweetie, there are no guarantees in life.  Who’s to say I won’t be walking to the grocery store tomorrow and some idiot jumps the curb and runs me over?  I hope that we both live to be a hundred years old, driving our neighbors crazy with screaming each other’s names into the night…”  Tara smiles at Buffy’s wide eyes.  “But we don’t know.  It’s taking a chance, and it’s considered living life, sweetie.”  Tara shrugs her shoulders.  “It will hurt, but I honestly believe that we would be able to end this as adults and be able to remain friends.  At least I would hope we could.”  Tara admits quietly.

“Do you want this?”  Buffy questions hesitantly as she looks down at their hands, Tara’s soft, pale hands compared to her small, tanned, rough hands. 

“Yes.”  Tara answers simply, knowing in her heart that she already loves Buffy, and now that the possibility of the slayer caring for her and possibly loving her is within her grasp, wanting to grab on with both hands to the slayer.  Protecting and being there for the woman that had been through so much in her short lifetime. 

Buffy smiles as she raises her eyes at Tara’s soft, definitive and quick answer.  “Didn’t take you long to decide on that.”

“What is there to decide?”  Tara rubs her thumb in a circular motion over Buffy’s hand.  “I’ve been called a lot of things, but stupid usually isn’t one of them.”

Buffy snorts back a laugh, shaking her head at Tara’s smirk.  “You’re definitely not stupid.  At least I never thought you were.  Getting involved with me, on the other hand may start to point that way.” 

“Why would my being involved with you be stupid?”  Tara questions seriously. 

Buffy drops her eyes looking down at the table.  “Come on, Tara.  My love life hasn’t exactly been great.  One night with me, Angel loses his soul.  Riley can’t handle it and runs off to South America.”  Buffy whispers, thinking about Riley taking a moment to actually wonder what would have happened if she’d caught him before he reached the helicopter, slowly coming to the realization that it wouldn’t have worked with him.  She was in love with the thought of being in love she was never actually in love with Riley.  “Huh.” 

Tara watches Buffy’s facial features tilting her head as Buffy finally seems to come to some kind of realization.  With her muttered ‘huh’, Tara finally questions softly.  “What is it, sweetie?”

Buffy looks into Tara’s curious eyes.  “I just realized that I never actually loved Riley.”  Buffy shakes her head, blinking a couple times as it settles in her mind.  “The one person that was my most normal and the longest relationship I ever had, and I didn’t love him.”

Tara sighs quietly, looking at the slayer.  “I’m sorry, Buffy.”  Tara finally whispers, feeling sadness for the slayer deep in her soul. 

Buffy shakes her head after a few minutes.  “No reason for you to be sorry, Tara.”  Buffy exhales heavily as she chuckles.  “You know, that’s been bugging the hell out of me all this time, and now… now it’s gone.”  Buffy admits, seeing the confusion on Tara’s face, Buffy squeezes her hands gently.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to confuse you.  It always bugged me that he and I could be happy now, married or whatever, if I had been able to catch him before he left.  But now, thinking about it…”  Buffy shakes her head, smiling softly.  “If I’d caught him, it would have probably just delayed the inevitable.”

“So, you’re basically saying you feel better about it now?”  Tara questions, her trademark crooked grin on her face as she watches Buffy nod her head quickly and forcefully.  “That’s great, sweetie!”

“How do you do that?”  Buffy questions tilting her head as she looks at Tara, chuckling at the frown crossing the Wiccan’s face.  “How do you make me think things and work out my problems?”

Tara laughs quietly and shakes her head.  “It’s not me, sweetie.  It’s just talking about things makes you start to think.  Sometimes saying them out loud helps you to work it out.  When you start thinking, you work things out in your head and come to the realizations on your own.  I didn’t do anything, except be an ear for you to chew on.”

Buffy unconsciously licks her lips at the thought of nibbling and chewing on the Wiccan’s ear, which leads to thoughts of her mouth, lips, tongue and teeth on other body parts. 

Tara groans as she sees the desire crossing Buffy’s face, the slayer’s eyes darkening perceptibly.  “What did I say to get that look?”  Tara questions hoarsely, feeling an answering desire hitting her body.

“Thinking about chewing on body parts.”  Buffy wiggles her eyebrows, chuckling as Tara blushes lightly.  “Didn’t expect me to say that, did you?  You started it with the ear comment.”  Buffy shrugs and plays her fingers over Tara’s hands, softly stroking down the long, delicate fingers.  Cocking her head to the side when she notices the difference between Tara’s fingers on her right hand compared to her left.  Frowning at the slightly crooked fingers, it takes her a minute to realize what caused it, making her frown even harder.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?”  Tara questions softly watching Buffy.

“I never realized…”  Buffy shakes her head, lifting Tara’s right hand up and rubbing the back of her fingers against her cheek.  “I’m sorry for you being hurt.”  Buffy finally looks into blue eyes.

“It’s okay, sweetie.”  Tara smiles gently at the slayer before turning her hand and cupping Buffy’s cheek in her palm.  “Could I possibly ask you to walk me home?  It’s getting late, and I think they’ll be closing in a few minutes.”

Buffy glances around the Bronze surprised to see only a few stragglers left while the employees are gathering up the trash and wiping down the tables.  “I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.”  Buffy blinks in surprise before releasing Tara’s hand that she was still holding and standing beside the table.  “Of course I’ll walk you home.”  Buffy smiles shyly at the Wiccan. 

Chapter 2

Tara glances at Buffy out of the corner of her eye as they make their way towards the college.  “Do you have to work tomorrow?”  Tara questions softly.

Buffy slowly nods her head.  “I have lunch shift.”  Buffy sighs quietly.  “I really need to look into getting another job.”

“Why don’t you check here on campus, sweetie?”  Tara question softly.  “Go up to the Administration Building tomorrow morning and see if there’s anything open.”

“Do you think there might be something there?”  Buffy tilts her head as she thinks about it.  “I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”

“Not much of anything could be worse than coming home smelling like a greasy burger, right?”  Tara chuckles as Buffy snarls her nose up in disgust.

“Do you have the slightest idea how many times I have to wash my body and hair to try and get rid of that smell?”  Buffy shivers at the thought. 

“Your shampoo and body wash bill must be outrageous.”  Tara jokes as they walk into the dorm.

“You have no idea!”  Buffy chuckles as they walk up the stairs, finally resting against the wall beside Tara’s door as she watches the Wiccan pull the keys from her pocket and unlock it before pushing it open.

“Coming in?”  Tara questions softly, looking at the slayer.

Buffy looks longingly at the Wiccan before slowly shaking her head.  “I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

Tara leans against her door frame, putting herself within inches of Buffy.  Searching the hazel eyes, seeing the desire so obvious in the depths, Tara reaches up and brushes some hair away from Buffy’s cheek.  “If it’s how everyone will react, I’ll talk with Willow tomorrow.”  Tara offers quietly.  “I know that Dawn’s gone, but I don’t think she’ll have much of a problem with it. As for Xander and Anya, it really doesn’t have anything to do with them, sweetie.  Other than the fact that Xander and Willow have been best friends forever and he might be upset for her.”

Buffy closes her eyes and presses against Tara’s hand that stayed to cup her cheek.  “You can’t know how much I want to stay.  And you aren’t making it easy to walk away right now.”  Buffy slowly opens her eyes.

“I’m sorry.”  Tara whispers, slowly dropping her hand away from Buffy’s cheek.  “Be careful on the way home, sweetie.”  Tara leans in and brushes her lips softly over Buffy’s, before easing back stepping slowly into her room, keeping eye contact with the slayer.

Buffy whimpers softly as Tara slowly backs into her room, unconsciously following the Wiccan.  “Maybe a few kisses first, then I’ll head home.”  Buffy murmurs quietly, looking at Tara’s lips.

Tara quirks her lips at the slayer before slowly closing and locking the door after Buffy finishes coming into the room.  “Only as far and as fast as you want to go.”  Tara groans deeply as firm lips attach themselves to hers as soon as she finishes her statement.  Growling quietly as Buffy quickly deepens the kiss, invading her mouth with an eager tongue.  Battling strongly against Buffy, Tara wraps her arms around her waist, urging the slayer against her.

Buffy moans loudly as she finally breaks the kiss to breathe heavily.  Running her hands up Tara’s arms, clasping them behind her neck, she smirks at the flushed Wiccan.  Seeing the pounding of the Wiccan’s heartbeat at her pulse point, Buffy growls hungrily, dipping her lips to the flesh calling out to her.  Capturing and sucking hungrily on the flesh, Buffy moves her hands down to curl and dig her fingers lightly into Tara’s waist.  Finally releasing the flesh, she kisses eagerly up the Wiccan’s neck, enjoying the taste of the Wiccan immensely.  Flicking her tongue over Tara’s earlobe, Buffy whispers hotly into her ear.  “Do you have any idea how delicious you taste?”  Buffy smiles at Tara’s loud groan.  “Do you taste that good everywhere?”  Buffy questions hoarsely before nipping on Tara’s earlobe.

“Goddess!!!”  Tara reaches up with one hand, gently grasping the slayer’s hair at the nape of her neck and easing her away from her neck, where she was nipping and sucking.  “I can’t wear a turtleneck to my meeting tomorrow, so be a little more circumspect.”

“Why?”  Buffy growls roughly, hearing the Wiccan’s heart pounding wildly, the delicious smell of arousal coming from Tara feeding her own desire.  “I want to taste, nibble, suck and bite.”  Buffy forces her face forward, licking her tongue strongly over Tara’s pulse point.

“I don’t think…  GODDESS, BUFFY!”  Tara cries out loudly as Buffy shifts her shirt, attaching her lips to the starting swell of her left breast. 

Buffy sucks hungrily on the flesh, pulling it into her mouth while her hands quickly work their way to Tara’s shirt, unbuttoning it swiftly.  “Want.” Buffy growls as she nips the Wiccan’s flesh before sucking it back hungrily into her mouth. Buffy finally runs her hands around Tara’s body, finding the clasp of her bra and swiftly unhooking it.  Dragging her hands back around, she shifts the bra up out of her way before releasing the flesh that she’d been attached to, seeing the dark hickey.  Licking her lips at the sight of her mark on the pale flesh, Buffy grins wickedly before her eyes drop, groaning at the hard rosy colored nipples begging for attention.

“Buffy, thought you wanted to go slow?”  Tara pants heavily, trying to get control of the flood of arousal coursing through her body, literally drenching her panties. 

Buffy slowly nods her head to Tara, not listening to the Wiccan’s words as she gently pinches the hard flesh between her thumb and forefinger.  Her body flinching in commiseration with Tara’s as Tara’s nipple hardens even more.  “A few kisses, before going home.”  Buffy smirks, finally dragging her eyes up to look into the slate gray eyes looking back at her.  “I didn’t mention what I was going to kiss, did I?”

“Are you trying to kill me?”  Tara questions before roughly pulling Buffy against her, ravaging the slayer’s mouth, sucking hungrily on Buffy’s eager tongue before grunting and jerking into Buffy’s body as the slayer drags her blunt nails down her back, making her shiver with desire.

Buffy pinches Tara’s nipple more firmly with her right hand, twisting it slightly, while dragging her left hand’s nails back up Tara’s back.  Growling as Tara latches onto her bottom lip, biting it roughly before releasing it and bathing it with her tongue.  “So much for the gentle, shy Wiccan.”  Buffy growls as she drags her own tongue over her bottom lip, getting the slight taste of copper. 

Tara’s eyes drop to Buffy’s swollen, lightly bleeding lip.  “I don’t hear you complaining.  And I never said I was gentle… I just never had much of a chance to be this way.”  Tara admits, feeling comfortable enough with the slayer to let her know this about herself.

“You like being rough?”  Buffy questions, her voice deep at the thought as she searches Tara’s eyes.  

“Sometimes.”  Tara nods her head before gently bathing Buffy’s lip with her tongue.  “Sometimes I do want to be gentle and loving, but at other times I want to be fast and hard.”  Tara looks in Buffy’s eyes before pulling the slayer’s head back and attacking her neck firmly with her teeth.  “What…”  A long, firm lick up the column of the slayer’s neck.  “Are you…”  A nip at the juncture of the slayer’s neck and shoulder.  “In the mood for?”  Tara questions before latching onto Buffy’s pulse point.

“God, Tara!”  Buffy calls out hoarsely before shifting both her hands down and around Tara’s back, grasping the firm butt cheeks in her hands as she urges Tara roughly against her, grunting loudly as Tara slides a firm thigh between her legs, forcing them further apart.

“What do you want, Slayer?”  Tara questions as she works her way back up Buffy’s neck, sucking on the sensitive skin behind Buffy’s ear, smirking as Buffy jerks and grinds against her thigh.  “Tell me.  Tell me anything you want.”  Tara breathes hotly into Buffy’s ear before flicking her tongue out to caress over the outer shell.  “Do you want me to let you go?  Do you want me to make slow, gentle love to you all night?  Or do you want me to throw you on the bed, rip off your clothes and fuck you until you scream my name?”

“FUCK!”  Buffy cries out as she jerks against Tara’s thigh at the Wiccan’s words, rubbing fast and hard, Buffy whimpers loudly as the orgasm explodes from her body. 

“That wasn’t one of the options.”  Tara growls before pushing Buffy back, making her sit on the bed before straddling Buffy’s thighs on her knees as she quickly pulls the slayer’s crop top off, salivating at the sight of the slayer’s light brown nipples prominently on display.  Gently pushing on the slayer’s shoulders, Tara shifts her body to where she’s holding her upper half up with her arms, head even with the slayer’s breasts, but her legs and hips shift to nestle between Buffy’s legs.  Attacking the nipples crying out for attention, Tara smirks as she feels the slayer’s hands grab hold of her hair and pull her in even tighter against her breast.

“JESUS, TARA!”  Buffy cries out loudly as Tara bites down firmly on one of her nipples.  Buffy growls as her body bows in reaction to the feeling of the pleasurable pain.  Opening her eyes that she’d unconsciously closed, Buffy makes contact with Tara’s eyes, shocked again at the depth of desire and the love so obvious.  Panting heavily, Buffy whimpers at the desire literally pooling between her legs, knowing that it has to have soaked through her jeans by now. 

Easing off the slayer’s nipple, Tara circles her tongue soothingly around the swollen, reddened flesh.  Shifting herself, so she’s supporting her upper body with one arm, Tara runs her free hand over Buffy’s body, looking intently at the small, firm and perfectly proportioned breasts to the too skinny, but definitely muscular build of the slayer.  “How can someone so small and beautiful be so strong and caring?”  Tara questions hoarsely.  “And Goddess, we need to feed you, sweetie.  You’re pretty much just skin stretched over muscle and bone.”  Tara whispers as she runs her fingers down the slayer’s ribs.

“No-Nobody knows how to cook.  Plus I… forget to eat.”  Buffy hoarsely mutters, grunting as Tara’s hand slides down to cup her through her jeans.

“Goddess, you’re soaked.”  Tara jerks her eyes up to look into Buffy’s desire-filled eyes. 

Nodding her head sharply, Buffy whimpers as Tara’s hand quickly unbuttons and slides down the zipper to her jeans before wiggling in to caress over her silk covered mound.  “Tara!”  Buffy growls hungrily as she drags her hands up the Wiccan’s back to cup behind her head, urging her up to her lips.  Eagerly devouring the Wiccan’s mouth, Buffy invades and battles against Tara’s tongue.  With shaking hands, Buffy runs them back down Tara’s body, sliding around to the front of Tara’s pants.  In her eagerness, Buffy rips the button off Tara’s jeans before finally being able to drag the zipper down.  “Clothes off.”  Buffy begs after breaking the kiss to breathe, as she tries to push the jeans down Tara’s legs. 

Tara nods as she kisses her way down Buffy’s neck, suckling briefly on the slayer’s breasts before dragging her tongue down the slayer’s quivering abdomen.  Moaning loudly at the smell of the slayer’s rich, musky scent, Tara shifts her body to stand while shifting Buffy’s jeans down, groaning as she comes to the slayer’s boots.  Quickly untying and yanking the boots off, followed quickly by the socks, Tara finishes pulling Buffy’s jeans off before staring at the slayer’s naked body except for the scrap of black cloth covering her mound.  “Goddess, you are beautiful, Buffy.”  Tara hoarsely whispers before toeing off her tennis shoes and shoving down her jeans and panties, her socks coming off with the jeans. 

Buffy groans loudly at the sight of Tara’s body, flushed and lightly coated with a thin sheen of sweat, never realizing how beautiful the Wiccan was.  The body curvy but firm with muscles perceptibly playing under the skin as she moves, the strip of dark blonde hair shimmering with the desire coating it.  Inhaling deeply, Buffy’s groans turn into growls as her mouth floods with the desire to taste Tara.  “You’re beautiful.”  Buffy quickly stands before roughly yanking off her own panties before pressing her body against Tara’s, enjoying the feel of their bodies pressing against each other.  Leaning up the short distance, Buffy captures Tara’s lips in a tantalizing kiss while running her hands up and down the Wiccan’s back, clasping firm buttocks in her hands and squeezing gently. 

Tara whimpers into the slayer’s mouth and presses her body even more firmly against Buffy her body aching with desire as Buffy finally releases her mouth to kiss down her jaw and neck.

“I want to make love to you.”  Buffy murmurs as she gently eases Tara back on the bed, settling beside the Wiccan as her eyes caress over the woman’s beautiful features while her fingers softly caress over Tara’s chest and stomach, circling around Tara’s belly button.

“Please.”  Tara’s voice is barely above a whisper, her eyes closing as Buffy’s fingers slowly caress over her lower abdomen, playing over her mound without dipping any further. 

“You know I don’t have a clue as to what I’m doing, don’t you?”  Buffy admits quietly as she runs her fingers over the small strip of hair, her eyes darkening as Tara’s body jumps, her hips rotating as she tries to urge her fingers down further.

Swallowing hard, trying to think coherently, Tara opens her eyes, looking at Buffy as the slayer finally lifts her eyes to look at her.  “You may not know what you’re doing, but by the Goddess, you’re doing a damn fine job of it.  Keep going, honey, you’re doing wonderfully, just follow your instincts.”  Tara hoarsely whispers, running a hand over Buffy’s cheek before caressing a thumb over her bottom lip. 

Buffy smiles softly, before capturing Tara’s thumb between her lips sucking gently before playing her tongue over the pad for a few moments, finally releasing it.  “Wonderful advice.”  Buffy murmurs kissing Tara softly on the lips while sliding her hand over to the Wiccan’s hip.  “I haven’t had my fill of those lips yet tonight, so I will definitely be back.”  Buffy smirks before shifting her body so she’s hovering over Tara as she slowly works her way down the Wiccan’s body, groaning as Tara’s hands caress over her back, through her hair to finally dig firmly into her shoulders.  Buffy makes her way to Tara’s lower abdomen, hovering just above the Wiccan’s sex.  Inhaling deeply at the rich, earthy smell coming from Tara, Buffy growls hungrily.

“Goddess, Buffy!”  Tara cries out softly as she shifts her legs open, bracing her feet on the bed to push up slightly, trying to urge Buffy on.

Buffy chuckles as she finally settles her body between Tara’s thighs, gazing upon the swollen, desire covered flesh.  Running a finger lightly over Tara’s swollen lips, without pressing in, Buffy closes her eyes and inhales deeply through her nose, the smell of Tara’s desire invading her body, quickly becoming her favorite fragrance.  Feeling Tara shift, and her body opening beneath her finger that had come to a halt on the silken smooth skin, Buffy opens her eyes and groans as she realizes Tara had shifted her legs further apart, opening her body to her eyes and touch.  Turning her head, Buffy places a firm kiss on Tara’s thigh beside her before slowly dragging her tongue up the thigh, enjoying the flavor of the Wiccan, noticing the difference of the taste as she encounters the escaped desire.

Tara whimpers loudly as Buffy starts to lap over her inner thigh with long, firm strokes of her tongue.  Her thoughts becoming less coherent the closer the slayer comes to where she needs her, growling in frustration when she feels the slayer shift to her other leg, slowly working her way up the other inner thigh. 

Buffy feels a light haze coming over her mind as she slowly comes closer to her goal after licking up every drop of the fluid she can find on Tara’s thighs.  Sliding her hands under Tara’s butt, Buffy gently lift’s Tara’s body before starting at the bottom of her slit, her tongue delving between Tara’s lips to drag firmly up the Wiccan’s opening.  Groaning as she holds onto Tara firmly when the Wiccan jerks as she drags the length of her tongue over her swollen clit.

“Goddess, Buffy!”  Tara whimpers, dragging her hands to Buffy’s head, clasping the slayer’s head between her hands, firmly urging her to continue with her ministrations.

“Taste good.”  Buffy growls hungrily before delving deep within the Wiccan with her tongue, swirling it within Tara’s body before curling it to bring out more of the fluid she’s wanting.  Licking her lips at the flavor, Buffy dives back in lapping eagerly over the Wiccan’s body, dragging her tongue firmly over Tara’s quivering clit time after time, feeling the muscle swell and start to pulse continuously.  Finally wrapping her lips around the muscle, Buffy sucks hungrily, groaning in pleasure as she feels Tara jerk before coming, flooding her mouth and chin with the delightful fluid.  Unaware of her own body’s ache, as she grinds against the bed, her own desire at an all new high.

“BUFFY!”  Tara screams as the orgasm explodes from her body, jerking and grinding her body against Buffy as the slayer continues to lap hungrily over her, occasionally stopping to suckle at her clit before sliding her tongue back within her body.

Buffy whimpers quietly as she finishes gathering up all the fluid she can find.  As she realizes where her hands are grasping and both her pinkies are between Tara’s butt cheeks, lightly separating the flesh, Buffy’s eyes widen as she feels the fluid that had obviously escaped and slid between Tara’s cheeks.  “More.”  Buffy grunts loudly as she lifts Tara up further, tilting her head and sliding her tongue firmly between Tara’s butt cheeks.

“SHIT!”  Tara cries out, pressing her feet down into the bed and jerking her body up as Buffy’s tongue drags over her rosebud, making her shake as she feels her body coiling for another orgasm.

Seeing, feeling and hearing Tara’s reaction, Buffy slides her tongue back over the puckered opening, circling it firmly while trying to keep contact as Tara literally pushes her body up to the point where only her feet, shoulders and head are touching the bed. Buffy snickers as she feels the flood of liquid making its way down to her lips and tongue.  Quickly gathering the fluid, Buffy eases Tara’s body back down on the bed, as the Wiccan’s legs finally give out, her body shaking uncontrollably.  Finally lifting her head, when she only hears the harsh panting coming from the Wiccan, Buffy looks up at her lover.

“I’ll be damned.”  Buffy mutters hoarsely, seeing Tara’s eyes rolled back in her head.  Making sure Tara’s body’s lying in a comfortable position, Buffy lies beside her, running a hand gently over Tara’s cheek as she waits for the Wiccan to come to.  “Either I did something very seriously wrong, or extremely right.”  Buffy chuckles deeply, knowing that what she’d done obviously wasn’t wrong.  Pressing soft kisses over the Wiccan’s other cheek and ear Buffy rubs her nose in Tara’s hair.  “Wake up, love.”  Buffy whispers into Tara’s ear.  “Definitely have to experiment more, if I get that kind of a reaction.”  Buffy’s eyes light up at the thought. 

“Definitely.”  Tara hoarsely mutters as she slowly drags her eyes open, seeing spots of differing colors.  “What… did you… do to me?”  Tara finally questions, trying to swallow and get her throat lubricated.

Buffy places a quick kiss on Tara’s lips, before easing off the bed and grabbing a water from the refrigerator, opening it before helping Tara sit up so she can sip the water.  “Followed my instincts?”  Buffy grins at the Wiccan as Tara rolls her eyes.

Taking a few minutes to drink the majority of the water before taking a few deep calming breaths, Tara raises an eyebrow at the slayer.  “Your instincts may be the death of me, but I am SO not complaining.”  Tara grins crookedly at the slayer before reaching up to tuck some hair behind Buffy’s ear. 

“Are you okay?”  Buffy questions softly as she strokes a thumb gently over Tara’s jaw, looking seriously at the Wiccan.

Tara nods her head, offering the rest of the water to Buffy, smiling as Buffy quickly finishes it before placing it on the nightstand.  Shifting her body, Tara runs a hand down Buffy’s side to clasp the slayer’s leg in her hand, urging Buffy to lift her leg.  Sliding her thigh between Buffy’s legs, Tara urges the slayer to relax down on the bed on her side.  Facing the slayer, Tara gazes into Buffy’s eyes, smiling softly.  “I’m extremely okay.”  Tara finally whispers, kissing Buffy softly while slowly playing her fingers over the slayer’s firm, tense body.  Feeling Buffy’s body literally vibrating under her fingertips, Tara breaks the kiss.  “What do you need, Buffy?  Besides the obvious.”  Tara looks intently into Buffy’s hazel eyes.

“You.”  Buffy whispers, getting lost in the Wiccan’s eyes.

Tara feels her heart constrict at the simple, but telling word.  “You have me, honey.”  Tara whispers, leaning in to kiss Buffy gently, slowly sweeping her tongue around the slayer’s mouth, enjoying the flavor of herself on Buffy’s lips and tongue.  “You so have me.”  Tara murmurs again as she eases away from the slayer.  “You’re trembling, honey.”  Tara comments softly.

“I…”  Buffy shakes her head, not knowing how to explain what she’s feeling.  The desire for this woman’s touch surpassing all feelings she’d ever felt before, the want and need to touch, taste and to be touched and tasted in turn making her shake uncontrollably. 

Feeling and seeing Buffy’s body literally start shaking Tara quickly slides a hand between Buffy’s thighs, whimpering at the amount of fluid easing from the slayer.  Dragging two fingers through the wetness, Tara slides them firmly within the slayer’s body.  Inhaling deeply as the slayer’s inner muscles clamp down on her fingers immediately, holding her captive as she floods her hand, climaxing instantly.

“Yessss…”  Buffy hisses as she arches her body against Tara’s while throwing her head back.

Curling her fingers immediately within the slayer, Tara attaches her lips to the slayer’s throat while caressing the tips of her fingers over the slayer’s sweet spot, growling hungrily as Buffy cries out loudly a few minutes later, drenching her hand with her nectar.  Bringing her thumb into play, Tara circles around the slayer’s swollen clit, pressing lightly to begin with, before gradually rubbing faster and harder as she’s finally able to stroke within the slayer’s body with her fingers, uncurling them for the time being.

Buffy whimpers loudly, her body starting to rock firmly against Tara’s hand as the Wiccan quickly pulls another orgasm from her body, surprised when Tara doesn’t stop but seems to almost become obsessed. Growling Tara starts to stroke within her faster and harder.

Tara shifts her body, pressing against Buffy so the slayer eases onto her back, while continuing to stroke over and within the slayer’s body.  Easing a third finger within Buffy, Tara nips her way down Buffy’s body while she continues her firm stroking.  “I love you, Buffy.”  Tara finally whispers before sucking the slayer’s rock hard, swollen clit into her mouth, sucking as strongly as she can as she curls her fingers to stroke over Buffy’s sweet spot continuously.

“FUCK ME!”  Buffy finally cries out as it feels like her whole body is climaxing as Tara tips her over the edge again.  Bending in half as she grabs hold of Tara’s waist, her fingers digging into the Wiccan’s flesh as she continues to come.  “Ta----ta----“  Buffy whimpers, collapsing back on the bed, dragging her fingernails up Tara’s sides as she lays back on the bed, unable to move, or say anything as she pants heavily, staring up at the hazy ceiling, curiously wondering if the room was filled with smoke from her overheated body.

Tara eases her fingers out of the slayer before lapping at the flood of liquid that coats the slayer’s thighs and sex, cleaning her thoroughly, frowning at the liquid that had escaped to soak into the bedspread.  “Have to have a bucket ready next time.”  Tara growls, before chuckling at her own words.  Gently sucking one outer lip into her mouth, stroking her tongue over the swollen flesh before treating the other one to the same treatment, Tara finally places a soft kiss on Buffy’s quivering clit, knowing the slayer has to be tender from the way she’d attached herself to the muscle.  Slowly working her way up Buffy’s body, Tara supports herself on her elbows as she looks down at an unfocused, but grinning slayer.  “Better, honey?”  Tara finally questions softly.

Buffy’s lips quiver, her eyes finally shifting to look at Tara.  Blinking at the Wiccan, as she’s still unable to say anything. 

“One blink yes, two no?”  Tara offers, grinning crookedly at the slayer.  Laughing outright when Buffy does one exaggerated blink.  “I’m assuming that’s for you doing better now.”

Buffy blinks once again, before moaning quietly as Tara drags her fingernails teasingly across her chest.

“Do you want me to stop?”  Tara whispers as she flicks her nail over the slayer’s nipple, watching as Buffy blinks twice, quickly.  “Do you want me to be gentler?”  Tara smirks as Buffy blinks twice again.  “Do you like me doing this?”  Tara gently squeezes the nipple before flicking it with her nail, kissing Buffy on the cheek as she blinks once.  Working her way to Buffy’s ear, Tara purrs softly.  “Or would you prefer me to do this?”  Tara lifts her head so she can see Buffy’s eyes as she pinches the slayer’s nipple hard, while twisting it at the same time.

Buffy grunts loudly, her body jerking at the witch’s unexpected roughness, before opening her eyes to look at Tara, blinking once before growling and leaning up closing the distance to kiss Tara firmly. 

Tara chuckles wickedly as Buffy finally collapses back on the bed.  Seeing the desire in her lover’s eyes, but also seeing the obvious tiredness, Tara sighs quietly.  Releasing the slayer’s nipple, Tara reaches up and cups Buffy’s cheek gently, while rubbing her thumb soothingly across the dark circle under one of the slayer’s eyes.  “You still aren’t sleeping well, are you, honey?” 

Buffy swallows and slowly shakes her head.  “No… how did you know?” 

“Besides the obviousness of the dark circles?”  Tara looks deeply in Buffy’s eyes.  “I would hear you pacing your room at all hours of the night before you would finally break down and head out to the back yard to sit.”  Tara frowns as she considers the slayer for a few minutes.  “If you’d like, I would love for you to stay the night.  I’d offer to do a sleep spell on you, but I’d like to see if just being held might give you a few good hours of sleep.”  Tara explains softly.

“I can stay here?”  Buffy bites her lip, as tears start to gather in her eyes.

“Anytime, all the time.”  Tara offers seriously before leaning down to press her lips gently against one eyelid.  “I love you, honey.  Anything and everything that I can do or give you, is yours.  Just ask and if I can, I’ll do it.”  Tara nibbles on the inside of her lip as she looks intently at Buffy.  “Will you stay the rest of tonight?”

“Yes.”  Buffy finally relaxes completely, the love so freely given by the Wiccan making her heart hurt as the tears slowly slide from her eyes down her cheeks.  “I think they broke the mold when they made you, Tara Maclay.”  Buffy whispers softly reaching up to brush a thumb over Tara’s lips.

Tara blushes and shakes her head before placing a kiss on Buffy’s thumb.  “Come on, honey.  Let’s get ready for bed.”  Tara slowly rolls away from Buffy and off the bed, heading towards the closet.

Buffy pouts as she watches Tara.  Surprised at the ease with which the Wiccan is walking around the room naked, watching Tara place two robes on the end of the bed, before she smiles and turns back to her dresser.

“Would you like something to sleep in?”  Tara questions softly after pulling out her shower kit, along with a new spare toothbrush and deodorant. 

“Depends.”  Buffy slowly stands and walks over to Tara, wrapping her arms around the Wiccan’s waist.  “Would you prefer me to wear something to bed?”

“No.”  Tara leans back into the slayer’s arms, closing her eyes in contentment as Buffy places a soft kiss on her shoulder.

“Then no, I don’t want to wear anything to bed.”  Buffy brushes her cheek over Tara’s shoulder, before placing another kiss on the flesh. 

“Do you want to take a shower?”  Tara sets down the items in her hands so she can stroke her fingers over the slayer’s forearms.

“Nah.  Kind of like the smell.”  Buffy admits, inhaling deeply.  “Plus I wouldn’t have any clean clothes to wear home in the morning.”

“True.”  Tara admits quietly.  “My clothes definitely won’t fit you, honey.  You would look like a kid playing dress-up if you did wear them.”

Buffy growls playfully before nipping gently on Tara’s ear.  “If you want me to get some sleep tonight, we better move this to the bathroom, because if we stay here much longer, I’m going to pick you up and toss you back onto the bed to have my evil way with you.”

“And that would be a bad thing?”  Tara turns and grins at the slayer before kissing her firmly, but quickly.  “Come on, honey.  I want you to hopefully get a few hours of good, restful sleep.”

“Okay.”  Buffy smiles as they both slide on the robes, gathering the few items before heading to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

***

Chapter 3

Buffy moans quietly as the urge to go to the bathroom hits.  Slowly lifting her head, she smiles as she remembers the previous night.  Looking down at the sleeping Wiccan, Buffy nibbles on her lower lip as she considers the woman.  Smiling softly at the look of innocence and gentleness on the Wiccan’s face, compared to the remembrance of what the woman had done and said the night before.  “You are a very surprising woman, Miss Tara Maclay.”  Buffy whispers softly as she reaches up to stroke a fingertip over the Wiccan’s features.

Tara frowns as she feels something brushing over her cheek, before slowly opening her eyes.  Grinning crookedly at the slayer looking intently at her, a smile on her face, Tara leans forward and presses her lips softly to Buffy’s.  “Good morning, honey.” 

Buffy smiles in answer to Tara’s grin.  “Good morning.  So, it wasn’t all a dream last night?”

“Oh, no.  No dream, honey.”  Tara cups the slayer’s cheek in her hand and kisses her softly again.  “I wish you could stay.”  Tara whispers quietly, sighing as she wraps her arms around Buffy, hugging the slayer to her tightly.

“I wish I could, also.”  Buffy admits brushing her cheek over Tara’s shoulder, allowing the Wiccan to hold her for a few minutes, enjoying being pressed against the Wiccan’s body. 

“But you need to go home, get cleaned up and go to work.  I want to go for a run for a while to get my thoughts in order before showering and calling Willow.”  Tara admits, sighing heavily.

“Run?”  Buffy shifts so she can look in Tara’s eyes, smirking as Tara blushes lightly.  “Since when do you run when you aren’t being chased?”  Buffy actually takes in the Wiccan’s body, having noticed the firmness and slight musculature, being interested in other things she hadn’t really put two and two together.  Stroking her fingers over the firm flesh, seeing the strength of the lean body, but not obvious muscle definition, more like a runner’s lean, strong body.  “How far do you run and how often?”  Buffy questions, shifting her body down as she allows her fingers and eyes to caress over Tara’s body, spending longer on the muscular thighs, smirking as she runs a finger over the Wiccan’s calf and Tara unconsciously tightens the muscles there, the muscle in her calf becoming more prominent.

“Ummm.”  Tara swallows as Buffy starts a low burning desire in her body with her soft caresses.  “Not long after I moved out.”  Tara blinks a couple times and hooks her other leg around Buffy as the slayer seems to be entranced with her other leg.  Squeezing her as much as she can with the leg, Tara finally whispers softly.  “Honey, you don’t have time for what I’d like to do, and if you keep that up, you’re going to be extremely late for work.”

Buffy continues to stroke her finger curiously over Tara’s calf muscle for a few minutes before the Wiccan’s words sink in.  Pulling her finger away, she looks into desire-filled eyes and whimpers quietly, shifting down to place a firm kiss on Tara’s calf.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“Shhh.  I know you didn’t, honey.  Nothing to be sorry about, but if you hurry, you can go home, get cleaned up and maybe have time to hit the Admin Building before going to work.”  Tara suggests softly.

Buffy nods her head and places another kiss on Tara’s leg before easing off the bed to stare down at the Wiccan.  Breaking eye contact, Buffy shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot as she looks at the floor.

Tara frowns as she watches Buffy.  “What’s wrong?”  Tara questions softly as she stands to run a thumb gently over the furrowed brow. 

“I may be overstepping my bounds here, but…”  Buffy looks up at Tara, biting her lip before finally continuing.  “Can I come back?”

“Why in the world would you think you’re overstepping your bounds?”  Tara questions hoarsely, looking deep into the slightly scared eyes.  “Are you afraid I’ve changed my mind?”  Seeing the guilty look cross Buffy’s face and the slayer look away, Tara inhales deeply.  “Oh, honey.”  Tara shakes her head and wraps her arms around the slayer.  “Please come back, hell you don’t even have to go back home.  Pack a bag with assorted clothes for the rest of the week, and stay with me.”  Tara offers quickly.

Buffy relaxes against Tara, sighing quietly.  “You want me to stay with you?”

“I told you last night that you were welcome here anytime.  I meant it, honey.”  Tara places her lips against Buffy’s temple and strokes her hands firmly up and down Buffy’s back. 

“Thank you.”  Buffy shifts back and looks intently into Tara’s eyes, smiling at the seriousness showing.  “I need to get dressed.  I’ll be back later, okay?”

“Here.”  Tara releases the slayer and walks over to her desk, pulling out the extra key for the dorm room.  Playing her fingers over the rainbow keychain, Tara rolls her eyes.  Going to pull the key off the keychain, she stops as small strong hands clasp her hands.

“Is that what I think it is?”  Buffy questions quietly looking at the key and keychain.  When Tara nods her head, blushing lightly, Buffy tilts her head considering the woman.  “It’s the only key on that particular keychain, why were you going to take it off?”

“I didn’t think you would want the keychain.”  Tara explains quietly. 

Buffy eases the key and keychain from Tara’s hands, running a thumb over the rainbow, chuckling softly.  “Is there somewhere I can go to fill out the paperwork to be a card carrying bi-sexual?  I don’t think they’ll let me into the strictly lesbian club, since I have been with guys.” 

“They would… after you swore on a stack of Lesbian Lover’s Bibles that you would never, ever even look at a guy again, let alone flirt, kiss or do anything else.”  Tara jokes quietly, grinning crookedly at the slayer.  “You’re welcome here anytime, honey.  There’s your very own key in and out of my room, please use it.”

Buffy slowly nods her head, smiling at the key before looking up at Tara and placing a gentle kiss on the Wiccan’s lips.  “I better go use the bathroom real quick, then head home to try and get things situated.”

“Be careful.”  Tara watches sadly as Buffy quickly dresses.  Leaning against her desk, Tara crosses her arms under her breasts as Buffy sits on the bed pulling on her socks and shoes. 

“Would you like me to bring some food from the DMP for us to eat tonight?”  Buffy offers looking up at Tara as she ties her boots.  Reaching out for the keys she’d set down beside her on the bed, Buffy stands and tucks them into her pants pocket while looking over the Wiccan’s form, her eyes lingering for long moments on the Wiccan’s apex before coming to a halt again as she reaches Tara’s breasts.  “You’re very comfortable in your own skin, aren’t you?”

Tara shrugs, smiling briefly.  “I have my moments where I still become embarrassed and self conscious, thankfully those times are becoming further and farther apart.”  Tara explains, tilting her head as she watches Buffy practically prowl towards her.

“You have absolutely no reason to be embarrassed or self-conscious.  You are gorgeous inside and out, Tara.  I want you to know that.”  Buffy explains before grasping the Wiccan’s head between her two hands and pulling Tara down the slight distance to kiss her hungrily, trying to show her how desirable and beautiful she is with a kiss.

“Goddess!”  Tara cries out softly as Buffy finally releases her.  “Can’t argue with that.”  Tara blinks and shakes her head as she looks at the happy slayer.

“I’ll be by later, I promise.”  Buffy strokes her fingers down Tara’s neck, letting her fingers trail around the mark she’d placed on Tara’s breast, grinning wickedly.  “I like that.”  Buffy admits softly, before frowning.  “Wish yours would stay.” 

Tara’s eyes soften at the slayer’s words, part of her rejoicing happily at the thought that the slayer wishes there was more of a physical evidence that Buffy belonged to her.  “As long as we know it in our hearts, that’s what’s important, Buffy.  And as far as I’m concerned, we belong to each other.”

“I like the thought of belonging to you.”  Buffy smiles before kissing Tara gently.  “I really need to go.”

“Go, love.  Please be careful and I’ll see you later.”  Tara chuckles as Buffy smacks her firmly on the butt cheek before heading towards the door.  “You’ll pay for that later, Slayer.”

“Looking forward to it, Mistress.”  Buffy laughs heartily at the sight of Tara blushing darkly as she slides out of the door, winking at the Wiccan before running down to the bathroom before she springs a leak.  “That could prove to be something to play with in the future.”  Buffy murmurs grinning wickedly.

***

“Goddess, what is she trying to do to me?”  Tara shakes her head as she takes a deep breath, pulling out her clothes to go running in, quickly dressing before sitting down on the bed, inhaling deeply, smelling the perfume of their lovemaking permeating the room.  “Definitely need to go for a run.  If I stay here, I’ll end up playing by myself.”  Tara grumbles grabbing her keys off the nightstand, putting them on the rubber cord and pulling it over her head before she quickly heads out to go to the campus cross-country trail, wanting something more than the track to run to give her time to work out what to say to Willow in her head.

***

Buffy winces as she glances at the clock as she brushes her hair, wondering if she’ll have time to run by the college today to pop in to the Admin Building, or if she should just wait ‘til tomorrow.  Mentally calculating the time it would take her to walk back to the campus, factoring in at least a half hour to talk with whomever is there, then the time to get to work, Buffy shakes her head, realizing there was no way she’d make it in to work by 11:30.  Sighing heavily, she tosses her hairbrush on her dresser before grabbing a bag to pack away a couple of her uniforms, along with jeans, shirts and underwear.  Tossing in a couple weapons along with stakes, she zips the gym bag closed, hooking it over her shoulder as she hears the phone ring. 

Trotting down the stairs, she stops halfway down when she hears Willow answer the phone, silently wondering if it’s Tara on the other end, her heartbeat picking up at the thought of her lover even as her brow furrows in worry with what Willow might do or say.

***

Willow finishes eating her breakfast, placing the bowl in the sink as the phone rings.  Knowing Buffy’s getting ready for work, she grabs it.  “Hello?”

“Hi, Willow.”  Tara takes a deep breath as she centers herself.

“Tara.”  Willow breathes out the blonde’s name, slowly sitting down at the kitchen island, her legs becoming shaky, having not really talked to the Wiccan in months.

“Ummm.  I was wondering if maybe we could get together sometime today to discuss a few things.”  Tara explains, not aware of the impersonal, almost cold tone of her voice.

Willow stiffens immediately, hearing the tone of Tara’s voice.  “What do you want to discuss?”  Willow questions, her voice dropping as she feels a thread of fear and anger working its way through her.

“I think this would be better discussed in person, Willow.  This isn’t something to be said over the phone.”  Tara explains quickly. 

Willow’s lip unconsciously snarls up as her eyes darken.  “Is this in regards to you coming back to me?”

“Willow…”  Tara sighs heavily as she shakes her head.  “I won’t discuss this over the phone with you.  I’d like to meet you this afternoon, say at one of the coffee shops?”  Tara offers a neutral ground to meet at.

“I’m sorry. I can’t meet you for a few days.  I have plans.”  Willow stumbles over the words as her mind starts going in twenty different directions as she considers her options, and what she might be able to do.  “How about Wednesday?  I can do Wednesday.”  Willow’s unaware of her black eyes as the anger at the realization that Tara isn’t coming back to her cycles through her, triggering the dark magic.  The thought going through her head that with a little tinkering she can re-do the forget spell to get what she wants.

Tara drops her head as she considers her ex-girlfriend.  “I wanted to do this now, but if you can’t, I’ll see you in five days, Wednesday.  How about 11:00 am at the Espresso Pump?”

“That’s fine.”  Willow nods her head, breathing heavily as the magic courses through her, unaware of the sparks coming from her fingers as she taps her fingernails on the kitchen tiles of the island counter.  “Bye.”  Willow growls angrily as she disconnects the phone, dropping it back on the island as she strides out the back door, looking up at the beautiful, sunny day.  “I don’t think so.”  Willow whispers softly as she immerses herself into the magic flowing through her body.

***

Buffy clenches her hands as she hears Willow’s side of the conversation.  Hearing the redhead putting Tara off making her angry, knowing that Willow doesn’t have any plans.  Deciding to leave it be for the time being, Buffy quickly writes a note to Willow telling her that she would probably be in and out, not spending a lot of time at the house because she was looking for a new job and that she’d been having some problems with vampire gangs along with a few demons that she was trying to hunt down. 

Sighing quietly at the thought of her lying to the redhead, Buffy decides that in this instance, it would be for the best.  Knowing if she stayed around the redhead for long, she’d be tempted to go off on her about what she’d done to Tara.  Quickly leaving the house, Buffy makes her way towards the DMP, worried about what’s going to happen to their group with the changing of the players.  Running a hand roughly through her hair, Buffy tries to shake off the sense of doom that she’s feeling.

***

Tara slowly places the phone back in the cradle, frowning heavily as she wishes that she could get this taken care of today.  Knowing she’d promised Buffy she would talk to the redhead, but not being able to force the woman to meet with her, if she isn’t willing to.

Drawing her feet up onto the chair and wrapping her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees, Tara shivers slightly like a shadow falling over her. 

Deciding to work off the feeling of impending darkness, Tara grabs on clean running clothes and quickly heads out of the dorm, shaking her head at the quiet building.  “Knew it would be quiet with people heading out for spring break, but this is ridiculous.”  Tara mumbles as she hits the front steps, stepping up to a bench to stretch her leg muscles out as she looks out over the quad.  Loosening her muscles, Tara decides to start off jogging around campus, since there weren’t a lot of people in the way. 

Slowly building up her speed, Tara moves into a smooth gated jog as she works her way around the campus, taking deep even breaths to feed her muscles as she decides to head into town.  Unaware of the passing time, as she jogs around town, deftly dodging the few people out and about, Tara smiles as she thinks about Buffy.  More than pleasantly surprised at how Buffy reacted the night before and how she was more than willing to jump in with both feet into their relationship making her happier than she would have imagined possible.  Thinking about how they had practically held hands the whole time they were at the Bronze the night before while talking together in what would be considered an intimate way, Tara wonders if Buffy even realizes how she’d acted with her, and in public at that.

Slowly going over the previous night, Buffy reaching out to hold her hands, caress her fingers even as she would lean forward as they talked, joked and flirted, Tara realizes that Buffy had to know what she was doing in public.  Feeling a sense of relief that Buffy obviously wasn’t going to have a problem showing the world that they’re together, especially after she breaks it to Willow, Tara grins hugely. 

Blinking her eyes as she looks around, realizing she’s only a couple blocks from the Double Meat Palace, Tara checks the small pocket on the inside of her running shorts, honestly not remembering if she’d tucked any money in there or not, Tara smiles as she feels the stiffness of the bills.  Slowing down her pace, so she isn’t panting when she gets there, Tara makes a couple extra trips around the block to let her body cool down before finally walking into the DMP, smiling softly at the slayer leaning against the counter talking with one of the other employees since the lunch rush is over. 

“Could I order a Coke?”  Tara questions huskily as she comes to a stop in front of Buffy’s register, smiling as Buffy turns quickly to face her.

Buffy feels her heart stop in her chest as she looks over the perspiration coated blonde.  “God.  Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”  Buffy questions, her eyes caressing over the clothes clinging to Tara’s curves, the flushed skin, the twinkling eyes and the dark blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, looking almost black with the sweat soaking it.  Blinking as Tara blushes, Buffy realizes she’d made the comment out loud.  “Oops.”  Buffy mumbles, blushing darkly herself.

“I hope you know her.”  Lorraine smirks as she walks behind Buffy to fill her mug.  “If not, you’re working overtime to try and get tips when this isn’t the type of job to get tips.”

“Lorraine!”  Buffy growls lowly, but her eyes stay on Tara.  “Is that all you want, Tara?” 

“For now.”  Tara’s eyes twinkle merrily as she looks over Buffy with a raised eyebrow, smirking as Buffy blushes darkly at her insinuation.

Buffy whimpers as Lorraine snickers behind her at Tara’s comment.  Walking over beside the manager, Buffy tosses some ice into the cup and fills it with Coke. 

“It’s quiet, if you want to take your break now.”  Lorraine nods her head as she makes the comment quietly.

“Thanks.”  Buffy nods her head quickly, filling up another cup for her a soda.

“No problem.”  Lorraine chuckles as she watches Buffy.  “You have some explaining to do!  Especially if what I’m seeing is what I’m SEEING.”  Lorraine emphasis the word, whistling as Buffy blushes again and nods in admittance.  “Damn, didn’t see that one.”  Lorraine shakes her head, before heading back to her office.

“I think I’d make a good lesbian.  I‘d open doors, I‘d protect my girlfriend from evil things that go bump in the night.  I think I‘m a pretty good lover, haven‘t had any complaints.  Not that I‘ve had more than one night’s… one wonderful, glorious, extremely eye opening night’s experience.”  Buffy mumbles as she walks around the counter, not realizing Tara heard every word and was trying not to laugh at the slayer’s ramblings.

“Come on, lover.  Let’s go sit outside and enjoy the day.”  Tara laughs quietly as she grasps the sodas from Buffy watching as Buffy looks at her questioningly.  “If you’re going to get the door, the least I can do is carry the drinks.”  Tara flutters her eyelashes at the slayer, chuckling as Buffy looks at her in confusion.

“What?”  Buffy frowns as she makes her way to the front door, opening it to allow Tara out in front of her as she plays the Wiccan’s words through her mind about holding the door, before her eyes open wide.  “You heard me?”

“You weren’t exactly quiet, and you were right beside me when you were talking.”  Tara explains, grinning crookedly at the quietly whimpering slayer.  “Personally I believe you make an absolutely wonderful lesbian.”  Tara laughs uncontrollably at the disgruntled look coming from Buffy.

“Pain.”  Buffy growls before wiping down the table and seat.  “I was going to sit with you, but if you’re going to pick on me...”

“I’m sorry, honey.”  Tara grins at Buffy, sitting down on the little seat just wide enough for two people to sit on.  Watching as Buffy sits beside her, her side pressing firmly into her. 

“So what made you decide to come by here?  Plus I thought you were going to go running after I left this morning.”  Buffy questions curiously, looking at the Wiccan, unconsciously leaning in to inhale deeply of Tara’s scent.

“I did go running after you left this morning.”  Tara plays with the straw in her cup as she sighs heavily.  “After talking with Willow, and not being able to meet with her, I sat in the room for a little while before finally changing to go for another run.  Found myself a few blocks from here and decided to come and visit my favorite slayer.”  Tara grins crookedly at Buffy.

“I’m glad you did.”  Buffy admits, finally pressing her lips firmly over Tara’s neck, flicking her tongue out to capture some of the salty tang of her lover’s flavor.  “I was home when you called to talk with Willow.”  Buffy explains softly as she brushes her cheek over Tara’s shoulder before turning to look out at the road and the people driving by. 

“I think she knows that I’m not coming back to her, but for some reason she wants to put off my telling her.”  Tara admits quietly, wrapping her arm around Buffy, squeezing her waist gently. 

“Yeah, I got that feeling, too.  I couldn’t stick around there, because I would have been tempted to go off on her about what she’d done to you.  I don’t think that would have been the way to break it to her.”  Buffy makes herself comfortable against Tara. 

“No, I don’t think that would be a good way at all.”  Tara shakes her head, stroking her fingers soothingly over Buffy’s side.  “Are you still coming to stay with me?” 

“Of course.  I have a bag packed and in the back.  I left Willow a note saying that I would be in and out a lot.  I kinda lied to her about the fact that there were some groups of vamps that I needed to hunt out.”  Buffy admits softly, frowning as she looks at the table.  “I was afraid if I tried to say something to her face, I’d go off on her, Tara.  And I haven’t ever been that angry with her before.”

“I’m sorry.”  Tara looks down, feeling guilty for making Buffy feel that way.

“Hey, hey!”  Buffy shifts and tilts Tara’s chin up and towards her so she can look into sad blue eyes.  “It’s not your fault, Tara.  You were the victim in this. You didn’t cause this to happen.  I just wish I’d had my head out of my ass and been able to do something to help.”

“Oh, honey.  You had… have, your own problems to deal with.  Adding mine to yours is not something I would ever want to do.”  Tara reaches up and runs her fingers gently over Buffy’s face, frowning heavily at the prominent cheekbones.  “Have you eaten today?”

Buffy looks down guiltily before snapping her head up as Tara growls before jumping from her seat and heading into the DMP.  Buffy turns with wide eyes and watches her lover as she walks up to the counter.  Watching in stunned disbelief as Tara talks quietly and quickly to Lorraine, handing over something to the other woman but Lorraine pushing her hand away.  Seeing Lorraine wave her hand at Tara and shake her head, she watches as Tara turns, rolling her eyes, but smiling as she works her way back out of the building.

“Hey.”  Tara smiles as she sits back down beside a curious looking slayer.  Raising an eyebrow at the unspoken question in Buffy’s eyes, Tara smirks.

“You’re going to make me ask, aren’t you?”  Buffy growls, looking at Tara.  Seeing the crooked grin, and the twinkling blue eyes, Buffy growls deeper, before pressing her forehead against Tara’s.  “So… what was that about?”

“Do you really want to know?”  Tara’s lips curl up uncontrollably as Buffy snarls and shifts back, nodding her head vehemently.  Tara looks back through the window into the DMP, seeing Lorraine heading towards the door with a laden down tray.  Smirking she looks back at Buffy.  “You’re about to find out.”

Buffy looks towards the front door, frowning heavily as Lorraine comes out with a tray piled with food.  Growling quietly as Lorraine smirks and places the food in front of her before disappearing back into the DMP.  “Tara!”

“Eat.”  Tara points to the food before running her fingers gently over her lover’s cheekbone.  “You need to take better care of yourself, love.  And I will do everything within my power to be sure of that.”

Buffy looks down at the pile of sandwiches, fries and the salad.  Sighing quietly as she realizes Tara isn’t going to give up until she eats Buffy unwraps a sandwich and slowly eats it, turning her gaze towards her lover.

“I’m going to run to the store later to pick up something to fix in my dorm room, so you don’t have to eat this twice today.”  Tara offers softly, running her hand gently over Buffy’s back watching as Buffy slowly nods her head as she starts on her second sandwich. 

“What can you fix in your dorm?”  Buffy questions after a few minutes, before pouring the dressing on her salad and pulling the plastic wrap off the fork, stabbing some salad to eat. 

“Unfortunately not a lot.  I won’t have time to make anything homemade, but I can pick up fixings for spaghetti to fix on my hot plate.  They have those microwaveable garlic bread biscuits that aren’t bad.”  Tara offers hugging Buffy tightly.  “I’ll also pick up salad fixings.  Any requests for certain vegetables or dressings?”

“Bleu Cheese?”  Buffy questions hopefully, smiling as Tara chuckles. 

“What else, honey?”  Tara stands and shifts on the seat, straddling it so she can face Buffy.  Running her hands through her blonde hair as she watches Buffy finish the salad before starting to snack on the fries. 

“Anything is fine.”  Buffy unconsciously leans into the stroking hand, her body shifting slightly so she’s leaning against Tara. 

“I wish I had the place to fix you a home cooked meal.”  Tara places her free hand on Buffy’s thigh, squeezing gently.  Tilting her head, Tara watches as Buffy finally finishes the last of her food.  “What hours do you work tomorrow, honey?”

“Early shift 5:00 to 1:00.”  Buffy licks her lips, surprised that she finished all the food. 

Tara smiles softly.  “No late night tonight then.”  Tara leans in and places a soft kiss on Buffy’s cheek.  “I want you to sleep good tonight, love.”

“But…”  Buffy pouts as she looks at Tara.

“There may be time for a little fun.  I’ll have dinner ready for you when you get home, so you can eat after your shower…  Maybe we can have a little fun before we go on patrol.”  Tara offers, smiling as Buffy’s eyes light up at the thought.

“I’ll hold you to that.”  Buffy leans in and kisses Tara firmly.  “I’m falling in love with you.”  Buffy whispers softly, her eyes searching Tara’s, smiling at the happiness and love she sees reflected at her from her words.

“Goddess.”  Tara whispers before leaning in and kissing Buffy lovingly.  “I need to stop at the store on the way home, honey.  I love you.”  Tara leans her forehead against the side of Buffy’s head, her hand stroking over Buffy’s back lovingly.  “Be careful on the way home.”

“I will.  I enjoyed you stopping in to visit me.”  Buffy smiles shyly.  “Can I put in for you to visit me again?”

“Whenever I can, honey.”  Tara sighs softly as Buffy wraps her up in her strong arms, hugging her gently.  Enjoying the warmth and strength for a few minutes, until Buffy slowly releases her, Tara shifts and smiles as Buffy frowns at the time.  “I know, honey.  You have to go back to work.”  Tara stands, watching as Buffy pouts slightly.  Reaching out, Tara brushes her fingertips over the pouting lip.  “Just so you know?”  Tara questions as she slowly eases away from Buffy, walking backwards to head towards the grocery store.

“So I know what?”  Buffy watches the Wiccan curiously.

“I’ve already fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with you.”  Tara whispers, a soft smile on her lips.

Buffy feels her heart stop at the declaration, before it starts pounding at triple the speed it normally does.  Watching as the soft smile turns to a crooked grin, Buffy can’t stop her feet as she chases after Tara, grabbing her up in a tight embrace, kissing her strongly and searchingly, invading the Wiccan’s mouth as she battles against Tara’s tongue until she has to breathe.  Ending the kiss, Buffy buries her face against Tara’s neck, smiling at the strong fingers digging into her waist. “Can I keep you?”  Buffy questions softly.

“Forever, if you want.”  Tara closes her eyes, enjoying the strong arms holding her like they never want to let her go.

“Want longer.”  Buffy sighs softly as she slowly releases Tara from her grasp.  “I really need to go back to work.”  Buffy frowns heavily at the thought.

“Just think about this, tomorrow after 1:00 you’re done for the rest of the weekend, sweetie.”  Tara strokes across the furrowed brows, smiling as they finally smooth out.  “Be careful, and I’ll see you later, honey.”

“I will.  You, too.”  Buffy looks seriously at her lover, smiling as Tara nods in answer before the Wiccan winks and turns to start jogging away.  “Damn!  You’re dangerous!”  Buffy calls out after the Wiccan watching the firm body head away, the laughter coming from the Wiccan making her smile.  When she hears the soft words for her to just wait and see how dangerous she is, come from the Wiccan, Buffy moans and shakes her head.  “Work.  Work, now.  Play, later!”  Buffy repeats the words as she grabs the trash up, heading back into work.

***

Chapter 4

Tara smiles softly as she feels Buffy coming closer to the door, wondering if the slayer will use her key or knock.  Stirring the spaghetti sauce, she takes a quick taste, frowning.  “Wish I could have made it from scratch, but this will have to do.”  Tara grumbles at the pre-made spaghetti sauce that she’d spiced up and added fried hamburger to, to give it some sustenance, knowing Buffy needs the protein.  Checking the noodles she turns the burner off as she realizes they’re done. 

Hearing the key in the door, before Buffy hesitates for a moment before finally opening the door, Tara watches her lover almost cautiously ease into the room.  “Honey, I gave you the key to use.  I’m not going to get mad at you for using it.”  Tara calls out softly, smiling at the embarrassed look crossing Buffy’s face.

“Feels weird.”  Buffy admits quietly as she inhales deeply.  “God, that smells good!  I thought you couldn’t cook in here?”

“I wouldn’t call this cooking.  But I have the hotplate and microwave I make do with what I have.”  Tara shrugs, smiling at the slayer.  Pointing to the shower kit and robe she has on the bed, Tara winks at Buffy.  “After you come over here and give me a kiss you can take your shower and I’ll dish up dinner.”

“Yes, ma’am…  Ummm… Tara, I’m kinda smelly.”  Buffy pulls on her uniform shirt smelling her own greasy self, frowning heavily at the stench.

“It wasn’t an option, Slayer.”  Tara growls quietly, smirking as Buffy jumps and heads straight to her, kissing her firmly though keeping her body from coming into contact with her. 

“I’m going to go get cleaned up now.”  Buffy whispers, blinking as she tries to get her mind back on showering and food.  Grabbing up the robe and shower kit Buffy heads out the door to the chuckles of her lover.

Tara smiles and whispers quietly.  “Damn!  I should have had her try out the smell nullifiers.”  Tara looks at the copper bracelets and necklace she has sitting on the top of her dresser.  “She can wear them, we’ll find out later tonight if they work.”  Tara smiles at the items that she had bought earlier that day, so she could place the spell on them. 

***

Buffy groans placing the plate on the nightstand before falling back on the bed, rubbing her stomach.  “That was delicious, but I think I ate too much.” 

Tara chuckles at her lover, having watched her go back for seconds then thirds, finishing all the food, even going so far as to take one of the garlic biscuits and wipe it around inside the sauce pan to gather up any leftover sauce.  “Let me do that.”  Tara offers, gently tugging Buffy’s hand to remove it from her belly.  Shifting the slayer’s shirt up and unbuttoning her jeans before unzipping them partially, Tara smirks as she hears the quiet moan come from Buffy.  “Get the naughty thoughts out of your mind, Slayer.  I’m just going to rub your belly for you.”

Buffy whimpers quietly, before moaning as Tara’s warm hand starts a gentle circular motion across her stomach and lower abdomen, easing the fullness she’s feeling. 

“You can take a nap, if you want to, honey.”  Tara offers softly, lying beside Buffy, propping her head up to look down at the slayer while continuing to rub her stomach.

“But if I nap, then we go out on patrol, I probably won’t get no lovings.”  Buffy pouts softly, slowly dragging her eyelids up to look at a softly smiling Tara. 

“I’d rather you nap, if you’re tired, honey.”  Tara murmurs softly, looking seriously into Buffy’s tired hazel eyes.  “I’ll wake you up to go on patrol later.  Plus we have all tomorrow afternoon and all day Sunday to play.”  Tara offers up the compromise as Buffy starts to get a stubborn look on her face. 

“This is one argument you aren’t going to let me win, is it?”  Buffy questions, rolling her eyes as Tara just grins at her crookedly.  “Fine.”  Buffy mumbles, actually feeling the full stomach about ready to knock her out.

“Stretch out on the bed properly, honey.”  Tara shifts to stand by the bed, watching Buffy swing her legs around on top of bed.  Reaching down for the blanket, Tara climbs in beside Buffy.  “Face away from me, honey.”  Tara chuckles at the pout her words get.  “I have my reasons, Slayer.”  Tara growls quietly, kissing Buffy gently on the lips.  “Shift.”  Tara orders.

“Bossy.”  Buffy grumbles turning onto her side facing away from Tara, smiling as Tara shifts an arm under the pillow she’s using and wiggles in tight against her back as her other arm wraps around her stomach, her hand starting the gentle circular strokes over her stomach again.  Sighing quietly in pleasure, Buffy wiggles her body more firmly against Tara’s, smiling at the quiet chuckle she receives.

“You’re not complaining any more.”  Tara observes, placing a kiss on the back of Buffy’s head.

“No.  No more complaining.”  Buffy mumbles, her eyes getting heavy.  Just as she falls asleep, she whispers softly.  “I love you.”

Tara presses her lips firmly against the back of Buffy’s head.  “I love you, too, honey.”  Tara continues her soothing caress, occasionally placing a kiss on Buffy’s head as she holds the slayer, thinking about the surprising blonde in her arms. 

***

Tara sighs softly as she looks at the clock, brushing her lips over Buffy’s temple as she shifts looking at the lightly snoring slayer.  Silently wishing she didn’t have to wake her up, but knowing that Sunnydale needed it’s protector out in the night taking care of the evil.  Stroking her fingers gently over the too prominent cheek bones, Tara whispers softly.  “Wake up, honey.  It’s time to go on patrol.”

Buffy moans quietly as she slowly drags her eyelids up to look hazily into Tara’s smiling blue eyes.  Reaching up, Buffy rubs at her eyes, rubbing away the sleep crusties.  “Can’t we just stay here and get up to mischief instead?”  Buffy growls as she comes more awake, quickly grasping the Wiccan around the waist and flipping her over onto her back, smiling down at Tara as the Wiccan chuckles. 

“You don’t know how tempting that sounds.”  Tara admits softly, reaching up to tuck the slayer’s hair behind her ears.  “But I know you would feel guilty if you didn’t go out on patrol.”

Buffy groans and drops her head onto Tara’s shoulder.  “You know me well.”

“Hmmm.  That’s up for debate.”  Tara strokes her hands down Buffy’s back, smiling softly as the slayer wiggles her body against her.  “But I would love to get to know everything about you.”

“I hate to say it, but you probably know a lot more about me than I do about you.”  Buffy murmurs quietly.  “I figure that Willow has probably told you a lot of what happened earlier in our lives, whereas she’s hardly spoken about you at all.”

Tara sighs quietly and shifts her head to kiss Buffy’s temple.  “That was part of the problem in our relationship.”  Tara admits softly, watching as Buffy shifts to lie beside her so she can look at her.  Seeing the silent command to continue in the slayer’s look, Tara smiles sadly at the slayer.  “I always felt that I belonged to her.  More as a possession than a partner.  When Oz came back and she chose me over him… I made the comment that I was hers.”  Tara looks away remembering that time.

“She never said it back, did she?”  Buffy frowns at the thought. 

“No.  And earlier when you made the comment about wishing where I placed a mark on you that you wanted it to stay…”  Tara starts, turning her gaze back on Buffy, smiling at the slayer.

“I was letting you know in my own way that I wanted to belong to you.”  Buffy laughs quietly.  “Without knowing, or being aware I gave you something that you probably needed.”

“Yes, with no prompting or hints.”  Tara smiles lovingly at the slayer.  “My heart literally leapt when you said that.”

“Are you going on patrol with me?”  Buffy questions hopefully, glancing over at the clock, frowning at the time.

“I would like to.”  Tara brushes her thumb over the slayer’s furrowed brows, smiling as it smoothes out at her touch.  “Kiss me and get ready.”

“Yes ma’am.”  Buffy eagerly accepts that order, diving in to kiss Tara firmly, slowly trailing her tongue over the Wiccan’s lips before delving into the welcoming warmth as Tara opens her lips to her caress.  Groaning quietly as she hears the Wiccan moan, Buffy slowly eases back, placing a soft kiss on the full lips.  “Patrol.”  Buffy grumbles.

“Yes, patrol.  Oh, Goddess! I am so scatterbrained.”  Tara mutters as she shifts and rolls off the bed, striding quickly over to the dresser.  “I meant to give this to you before dinner…”  Tara turns a narrowed gaze on her lover, remembering how the slayer had sidetracked her.

“Ain’t my fault you’re irresistible.  Plus, you only allowed me to play for a little while, not near what I wanted to do.”  Buffy pouts.

“If you had your way, we wouldn’t have eaten and would have been romping on the bed instead.”  Tara points out.

“Bed, floor, against the door…”  Buffy grins unabashedly at Tara. 

“Come here, you.”  Tara smiles at the slayer, as Buffy rolls out of the bed quickly, coming to a halt right up against her.  “Keep that up, and I might think you like me.”  Tara chuckles as Buffy nods her head quickly.

“I do like you.  Like you, love you.  Want to be by you every second of the day…”  Buffy leans up the short distance to place a kiss on Tara’s lips, pouting as the Wiccan pulls away.  “Tara!”  Buffy growls softly.

“You’re not sidetracking me again, Slayer.”  Tara taps the pouting lip with a fingertip before reaching for the necklace.  “This copper necklace, along with the two copper bracelets with the undetectable spell I placed on them will make your scent unnoticeable.”  Tara explains softly as she hooks the necklace around the slayer’s neck before reaching back for the bracelets, gently placing the open ended items on each wrist, gently pressing them together.  “But, since I’m the one that did the spell, if I touch one of them, I’ll feel the spell.”  Tara smiles gently at the slayer.

“What about you being able to smell me?”  Buffy questions looking at the copper bracelets, seeing the etchings and running a finger along the symbols curiously. 

“Yes, I’ll still be able to smell you.  Part of placing the spell.”  Tara watches the slayer.  “The etchings have nothing to do with the spell.  However I etched ancient symbols of power, strength and protection into them more as something to make them look better and for my own piece of mind as a little additional protection.” 

Buffy swallows hard as her heart pounds in her chest at what the Wiccan had done, realizing the depth of her love.  “What did I do to deserve you?”  Buffy whispers softly, the tears slowly trailing down her cheeks as she feels Tara’s hands cup her cheeks.

Tara gently lifts Buffy’s face, brushing her thumbs softly over her cheeks to wipe away the tears.  “Just being yourself, honey.  But the real question is.  How am I so privileged to have you for a friend, and now a lover?”  Tara murmurs as she leans in to kiss Buffy tenderly. 

Buffy whimpers into the kiss, as Tara brushes her lips continuously over hers, never deepening the kiss.  “God, what you do to me.”  Buffy holds Tara tightly, burying her face in the Wiccan’s neck. 

Tara chuckles quietly, as the slayer practically tries to climb inside her. 

“Don’t say it.”  Buffy grumbles, really hating her calling at this moment.  Slowly pulling away from Tara, Buffy presses her lips firmly against Tara’s before quickly backing away.  Growling quietly, Buffy grabs her boots, sitting down on the edge of the bed, yanking them on and tying them tightly. 

Tara laughs at her lover.  “If you pull much harder on your strings, you’re going to break them.”  Tara warns.

“Good, then maybe I won’t have to go out on patrol.”  Buffy eases up on her actions as she looks up at Tara, a guilty look on her face. 

“I know you didn’t mean it, honey.”  Tara walks over to gently brush a fingertip over Buffy’s cheek.   Sighing quietly, Tara grabs her tennis shoes sitting across from the slayer in her chair, pulling them on and tying them quickly.  “You are planning on zipping and buttoning your jeans before we go out, I hope.”

Buffy grunts quietly.  “Would rather be easy access for you.” 

Tara bites her lip as the slayer looks up, a light flush on her face.  “If you’re already like this, what are you going to be like after patrol?”

“I don’t know, but I may not be getting any sleep after we get back from patrol.  Good thing I had a good nap.”  Buffy eyes the Wiccan, unconsciously licking her lips. 

Tara starts to open her mouth to remind the slayer of her early morning shift, before closing it quickly.  If the slayer was already horny now, knowing she’d probably be ready to blow a gasket come the end of patrol, if it’s busy.  Not knowing whether she’s praying for a busy patrol or a quiet night, Tara quirks her lips.  “Come on, let’s get going.”  Tara reaches down into Buffy’s bag, pulling out a couple stakes tossing them to the slayer before grabbing out a knife and handing it to Buffy.  Standing up, Tara walks to the closet, grabbing out her fanny pack with assorted items for her to use, she latches it quickly around her waist.  “Do you have your key?”

Buffy zips and buttons her pants before digging in her pocket, pulling out the key on the rainbow keychain, grinning at the Wiccan.  “Yes, ma’am, I do.” 

“Call me ma’am one more time and I’m going to toss you over my knee and smack your butt.”  Tara warns.

Buffy tilts her head considering the comment.  “Was that supposed to be a deterrent or a reward?”  Buffy smirks as Tara blushes.  “Discuss later, right?”

“Right.”  Tara sighs heavily, shaking her head at the slayer.  “Get your ass in gear, Slayer.”

“Yes, ma… Mistress.”  Buffy grins hugely at her lover while wiggling her eyebrows.

Whimpering quietly, Tara shakes her head.  “I don’t know which one is worse.”  Tara mumbles, opening the door and smacking the laughing slayer firmly on the ass as she walks by her.  “Get going, Slayer.”  Tara orders.

“Yes, Mistress.”  Buffy skips ahead as she feels Tara getting close to her, knowing she was about ready to get smacked again.

“Keep that up, and you’ll find out what kind of Mistress I can be.”  Tara warns quietly.

Buffy looks over her shoulder grinning hugely at the Wiccan.

“I know, I know.  Turn your ass around and get going.”  Tara chuckles as she looks knowingly at the slayer. 

“As long as you’re aware.”  Buffy shrugs her shoulders as she opens the door out of the dorm, allowing Tara to walk out in front of her, whistling quietly at the firm ass encased in tight jeans.  “Did I mention to you how much I enjoy seeing you wearing form-fitting clothes?  Major improvement over the floor length skirts and baggy shirts.  You’ve got a delicious, great looking body and should definitely flaunt it.”

Tara blushes lightly at the slayer’s words, hearing the serious note under the laughter.  “Get your butt up here, woman.”  Tara holds her hand out, pleased as Buffy quickly grasps it, threading their fingers together. 

***

Chapter 5

“Anything you want special to eat tomorrow, honey?” Tara questions after a little while.

“Anything is fine with me.  Sandwiches are fine.”  Buffy gently squeezes Tara’s hand as they patrol around the campus before working their way towards the closest cemetery. 

“I think I can do something a little better than sandwiches.”  Tara releases Buffy’s hand as she feels the slayer start to tense.  “Where?” 

“Hmmm…  Over to the left.”  Buffy smiles apologetically at the Wiccan.  “Keep your eyes open.”  Buffy reminds as she heads towards the fresh grave.

“I will.  Be careful.”  Tara calls out softly to the slayer as she keeps an eye open watching as Buffy doesn’t even give the new vampire a chance and dusts him before he’s completely out of the ground. 

“Come on.”  Buffy urges Tara out of the cemetery, not feeling any other demons in the vicinity.

Tara strides along besides the slayer as she walks at a good clip down the sidewalk through Sunnydale, smirking as Buffy uncharacteristically fights and dusts the vampires with very little fanfare.  After the fifth vampire bites the dust, Tara raises an eyebrow at the slayer.  “Are you in a hurry or something?”

Buffy taps Tara on the nose and grins.  “Better believe it.  I have better things I can be doing than fighting the scum of the underworld.”  Buffy sighs quietly as she feels another vampire, smiling as Tara squeezes her fingers before quickly releasing her hand. 

“I just know that you’re going to take a shower before you get to do other things.”  Tara warns, her eyes crinkling in merriment. 

“That’s a given.”  Buffy looks down at her slightly dusty clothes before turning as she finally hears a soft tread to go along with the spidey senses, not hearing anything else.  Getting this feeling in her gut, Buffy frowns heavily. 

“Oi!  Ain’t it the slayer… and Glinda.”  Spike looks in surprise at the Wiccan as he moseys towards the slayer.  “Why don’t you go back to your room, Glinda.  Me and the slayer got something to discuss.”

“We have nothing to discuss, and you have no right to tell Tara what she should do.”  Buffy growls angrily at the vampire.

“Do you want me to air our dirty laundry in front of the bint?”  Spike growls deeply, under his breath so only Buffy can hear him.

“What, Spike?  The fact that we beat the hell out of each other before fucking each other’s brains out?  Is that what you’re threatening to tell Tara?”  Buffy growls loudly, staring at the vampire.

Spike blinks in stunned surprise at the slayer, his gaze switching to Tara as the blonde stares at him unblinkingly with a cold look in her blue eyes.  Unconsciously Spike steps back away from the Wiccan as he looks back at Buffy.  “So, she knows we’ve got something going.  Good.  Run along home, Glinda.  I want to speak alone with Buffy.”

“There’s nothing for us to speak about.”  Buffy growls as she turns her back on the vampire, starting to head towards the Wiccan when Spike grabs her arm, spinning her around to face him.  Buffy automatically swings her fist with all her strength, connecting with the vampire’s jaw, knocking him down.  “Don’t fucking touch me again, Spike.”

Spike jumps back up, invading Buffy’s personal space, snarling angrily, his eyes flashing yellow.  “I got what you want and need, Slayer.”  Spike pokes Buffy in the chest, before grunting in surprise as he finds himself slammed into the back of the building, looking at the slayer, seeing an equally stunned look on her face.

“She said to not touch her, vamp.”  Tara snarls angrily, her eyes flashing dangerously.  “I’ve about had enough of you and your attitude.”

“Oi!  And you’re the one that’s going to adjust it?”  Spike smirks at the blonde as she strides towards him.  Trying to move his arms, Spike frowns as he realizes he can’t move any part of his body, except for his head.  

“Keep trying, you bleached blonde imbecile.”  Tara narrows her gaze on the vampire as she closes the distance between them, until she’s standing right in front of him.

“Tara…”  Buffy looks in surprise at her lover, seeing the fire flaring in the Wiccan’s eyes as she glances towards her.

“Let me go, witch.”  Spike growls angrily, snarling his lip in disdain at the blonde.  “She’s mine, and she’s going to realize it.”

Tara’s eyes narrow dangerously on the vampire as she leans towards Spike.  “She’s not yours, Spike.  She never was yours.  You took advantage of a situation, took advantage of her when she needed something.”

“Yeah, she bloody well needed me.”  Spike leans his head forward, closer to the Wiccan.

“She didn’t need you she needed friendship, understanding, caring and love.  She’s not yours, Spike.  Never was, never will be.”  Tara leans in even closer to the vampire.

“Tara, don’t…”  Buffy warns, coming up beside the Wiccan as she looks at the angry woman, never having seen Tara this upset.

Tara stares at the vampire, slowly smirking.  “Do me a favor, Spike.  Tell me what you smell.”  Tara quirks an eyebrow at the vampire, silently daring him.

Spike narrows his gaze as he inhales deeply, his eyes opening wide in shock before he vamps out, the hatred obvious on his face.  “Fuckin’ bitch!  I’m going to drain you, brain pain or no.”  Spike snaps towards Tara, before his head slams back into the building, Buffy slamming her fist into his face.

“Move away and release him.”  Buffy growls as she stares at the vampire, crouching low as she waits for him.

“Buffy…”  Tara starts, regretting her actions as she realizes Buffy isn’t going to let it go this time.

“I want a fair fight, Tara.  I’ve had enough of this piece of shit.”  Buffy spares a quick glance at Tara, seeing the worry and guilt crossing her face.  “Don’t.  It was going to come to this sooner or later.”  Buffy watches as the understanding crosses the Wiccan’s face.

Backing away, Tara looks at Buffy, nodding her head.  “I love you.” 

“I love you, too.”  Buffy looks back at the vampire, clenching her fists as she feels a rage deep inside her at the things they had done together, the things he had instigated, and she had allowed herself to do.

“You’re mine, and after I beat your ass, I’m gonna make you watch me drain and turn your bitch.”  Spike snarls, the hatred literally coming from him in waves.

“You won’t ever touch her.”  Buffy slams a quick fist into his ribs as Tara releases him and he steps towards her, signaling the start of the fight.

Tara has to fight against herself, wanting to help her lover, but knowing this is something Buffy has to do on her own as she watches the two trade blows, wincing as Buffy takes a hard shot to the ribs even as she slams her foot into the vampire’s knee, making him collapse in pain.

Buffy quickly slams her knee into the vampire’s chin, watching as he falls backwards even as he cries out in pain, grasping his shattered knee.  The adrenaline flowing through her at the fight, Buffy stares at the vampire.  “If I gave you the chance to leave and never come back to Sunnydale, would you take it?”

Spike snarls his answer even as he kicks out with his good leg, sweeping Buffy’s feet out from under her.

“Buffy!”  Tara watches the slayer hit the ground hard, banging her head. 

“I’m okay.”  Buffy shakes her head, to get rid of the fuzziness trying to take over as she quickly rolls away from the vampire as he tries to slam his foot into her face.

“Not for long.”  Spike uses the building behind him to help him stand, hopping towards the slayer trying to get to her before she can stand.

“You’re about ready to die, Spike.”  Buffy warns, her voice low, steady and deadly. 

“Not on your best day.”  Spike tries to snatch the slayer as she bounces up and out of his reach.  Limping towards the slayer, Spike grunts in pain as the slayer snaps off a hard right against the side of his head, feeling the skin split and the blood starting to pour down over his ear.  Staring in surprise as the realization that Buffy isn’t going to back off finally sinks in to his brain.  Roaring loudly in anger and pain he turns quickly, making a quick dive for the witch.

“NOOOO!!”  Buffy pounces on the vampire, catching him just shy of the Wiccan as she slams him into the ground.  Picking him up and tossing him backwards like a rag doll, the anger pulsing through her veins at the nerve of the vampire trying to hurt Tara.  “NEVER!  You will NEVER touch her.”  Buffy spins around her eyes blazing as she advances steadily on the vampire, her nose flaring in anger as her fists clench tightly. 

“You better kill me, or I’m gonna have her for dinner.”  Spike scrambles towards the wall using it for leverage to raise his body from the ground.  Smirking at the slayer, Spike reaches inside his leather coat jerking out the gun he’d bought a few months ago, after a group of demons had cornered him and beat the hell out of him.

Tara’s eyes open wide in surprise even as Buffy dives to the side. Without even thinking, Tara instantly forms a fireball, slinging it at the vampire. 

Spike sees the fireball coming towards him even as he tries to aim the gun at Buffy, screaming in pain as the gun is wrenched from his hand at the same time the fireball connects, setting him on fire, the last thing he sees before he explodes in a shower of dust is the slayer staring at him in disgust as she slowly stands.

Tara starts to shake as she looks at the ground.  The pile of dust that used to be Spike lying beside the gun that resembles a blob of twisted metal.  Unknowingly Tara starts whimpering as she realizes how close she’d come to losing Buffy, after just finding her.  The tears finally falling as strong arms wrap around her, pulling her in tightly against the strong body.  “He… he… w-w-was…”  Tara starts to stutter as she slowly feels her legs give way as she starts to sob.

“He didn’t succeed, Tara.  I’m here, we’re both here, we’re both alive.”  Buffy gently rocks the Wiccan even as she holds her tightly knowing Tara would be collapsed on the ground if she didn’t have her arms wrapped around her.  Placing soft kisses on the side of Tara‘s head and her temple as the Wiccan cries against her neck and shoulder, Buffy dips her legs, hooking her arm under Tara‘s knees.  “We‘ve done enough.”  Buffy whispers as she slowly carries her lover back towards the dorm, smiling sadly as Tara wraps her arms around her neck tightly, holding on for dear life, even as she continues to cry.

Tara hiccups in between her cries, rubbing her face over Buffy’s neck as the tears continue to fall.  Unable to say anything, Tara digs one hand’s fingers into Buffy’s shoulder even as she hugs the slayer even tighter with her other arm.  As Buffy unconsciously pulls her tighter against her, Tara whimpers as the tears continue to fall. 

Shifting her head, Buffy places a soft kiss on Tara’s forehead as she strides up the steps to the dorm, juggling Tara gently to open the door, the Wiccan obviously not going to let her go to open the door for her.  Quickly striding to the steps, Buffy quickly traverses the two sets of steps heading towards Tara’s room.  “I need to get the key out of my pocket, love.”  Buffy whispers softly, sighing quietly as Tara shakes her head, whispering something she doesn’t understand, the door opens as Tara stops talking. 

Kicking the door closed behind her, Buffy toes off her boots, wincing as she hears the strings break, but knowing there’s no way Tara’s going to release the death grip she has her in, though thankfully the Wiccan wasn’t crying and shaking as badly as she had been.  Watching as the covers slide down by themselves Buffy climbs in to the bed as she hears the two thumps as Tara’s tennis shoes hit the floor.  Leaning against the headboard, Buffy strokes her hands gently up and down Tara’s back, hoping to calm the Wiccan down completely. 

Tara takes deep shuddering breaths as she tries to get control of her emotions, unaware of the time passing as Buffy holds and comforts her silently.  Finally Tara whispers hoarsely.  “I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about.”  Buffy presses a kiss against Tara’s head, her eyes sad.  “I love you.”

“Goddess, I love you, too.”  Tara shifts slightly, easing her grip on the slayer to reach up with both hands cupping Buffy’s face gently.  Looking into worried hazel eyes, Tara whimpers quietly, the tears slowly starting to slide down her face again.  “He was going to kill you.  Not even in a fair fight, he was planning on shooting you.” 

“But he didn’t.  You saved me from him.”  Buffy reminds her softly, looking into scared blue eyes.  “I’m here with you, and I’m not planning on going anywhere, Tara.”

“Please don’t.  I don’t think my heart could take it.”  Tara presses her lips softly against Buffy’s, caressing over them again and again for long minutes before burying her face in the crook of the slayer’s neck, the night’s events finally taking their toll on her.

Buffy feels the Wiccan slowly relax and get heavier against her, listening as Tara’s breathing becomes heavier and steadier.  “That’s it, love.  Sleep a healing sleep.”  Buffy sighs in relief as Tara relaxes even more.  Letting Tara stay as she is for a while, Buffy makes sure Tara’s completely asleep before shifting her to lie on the bed, slowly removing the Wiccan’s clothes so she can sleep comfortably before stripping her own clothes off, frowning at her dirty body.  Shaking her head, Buffy knows she can’t leave Tara for that long, watching as Tara’s already reaching out in her sleep searching for her.  Sliding into the bed, Buffy reaches down to grasp the covers, pulling them up over them, deciding she’ll contact Lorraine tomorrow and tell her that an emergency came up and she can’t make it in.  Smiling sadly as Tara practically climbs on top of her in her sleep, Buffy holds her and finally relaxes enough to follow the Wiccan into the depths of slumber.

***

Chapter 6

Buffy’s inner alarm wakes her a half hour before she’s supposed to be at work.  Gently easing out from under the Wiccan, Buffy strokes her hands soothingly over Tara’s back for a few minutes until Tara calms back down.  Quickly striding to the phone, Buffy punches in the number, keeping an eye on Tara. 

“DMP.”  Lorraine answers the phone, looking at the time.

“Hey, Lorraine.  This is Buffy.”  Buffy speaks softly.

“Is there something wrong?”  Lorraine questions, frowning heavily.

“Yes and no.”  Buffy laughs quietly.  “A friend of mine had a very serious shock last night and she needs someone to help her over the rough patch.  I’ll make it up to you later, if you need me to, but I can’t leave her right now.” 

“Don’t worry about it, Buffy.  If we weren’t at least three people short every day, I’d be in shock.  Would this happen to be your young woman?”  Lorraine watches as the other employees get everything ready, starting the day. 

“Yes, it is.  I have a feeling she’s going to be kind of shaky for a while.  Hopefully I’ll help her over it this weekend.”  Buffy stretches the phone as far as it can reach and stretches her hand out to rub soothingly over Tara’s arm as the Wiccan starts to shift and move. 

“If you need more time, let me know.  Just take care of her.  She seems like a very nice woman.”  Lorraine smiles sadly.

“She’s the best.”  Buffy agrees quietly.  “Thanks, Lorraine.  I appreciate it.”

“No worries, Buffy.  See you Monday, if you come in.  Goodbye.”  Lorraine hangs the phone up after Buffy’s soft goodbye.

Buffy hangs the phone up and quickly slides in the bed with Tara, wrapping her up in her arms, stroking softly over the Wiccan, sighing quietly as Tara settles down and starts to breathe deeper, falling back asleep.  Pressing her lips to Tara’s forehead, Buffy hugs Tara tightly as she slowly wiggles to get more comfortable, smiling as Tara climbs more on top of her, one thigh sliding firmly between her legs.  “Don’t get frisky in your sleep, love.  You need your sleep.”  Chuckling quietly, Buffy rubs her cheek over Tara’s head as she sighs and closes her eyes, relaxing to hopefully fall back asleep.

***

Buffy wakes again a few hours later, to Tara’s whimpering and body starting to thrash.  “Easy, love.  Easy, Tara.”  Buffy whispers, stroking her hands firmly up and down Tara’s body as Tara continues to thrash and whimper. 

“No… no…  Buffy…”  Tara whimpers in her sleep, the nightmare of what happened the night before shifting to where she’s unable to stop Spike, and he shoots and kills Buffy, the blood blossoming across her lover’s top.  “Nonononono.”  Tara mumbles in a litany, thrashing even stronger, the tears flowing down her face in her sleep.

“Tara.”  Buffy softly whispers the Wiccan’s name, her touch no longer able to keep the Wiccan calm.  “Tara, wake up.”  Buffy tries again.  “TARA!”  Buffy gently grasps the Wiccan’s shoulders, shaking her gently as she states her name loudly and firmly, watching as Tara slows down her thrashing, but continues to say no over and over again.  “Tara, wake up!  You’re having a nightmare.” Starting to get worried that Tara isn’t waking up Buffy rolls over so she’s straddling the Wiccan.  “TARA!”  Buffy practically yells, grasping the woman’s face in her two hands as she prays silently that Tara will wake up. 

“NOOOO!!!”  Tara screams her body jumping as she hears an echo of a gunshot in her mind as she jerks awake.  Disoriented, it takes her a few minutes to see worried hazel eyes looking down at her, feeling the slayer’s hands on her face and the woman sitting on her.  “Goddess.”  Tara whimpers, shifting up and wrapping her arms around Buffy, crushing the slayer to her body.

“Thank God.”  Buffy breathes out, hugging Tara tightly to her.  “We’re okay, Tara.  Maybe a little dirty and ripe, but we’re here and we’re alive.” 

Tara grunts quietly, burying her face in Buffy’s neck.  Sighing in relief as Buffy wraps her legs around her, clenching her firmly. 

Buffy closes her eyes and holds on to the Wiccan as Tara slowly starts to rock their bodies back and forth, slowly relaxing her grip and calming down after a long time.  “How are you doing?”  Buffy finally questions softly.

Tara places a firm kiss against Buffy’s neck.  “You’re here, so I’m doing okay.”  Tara finally shifts slightly to look into Buffy’s eyes.  Raising a slightly shaky hand, Tara runs her fingers over the slayer’s face.  “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.  Just scared out of my mind about you.”  Buffy admits as she looks into worried blue eyes.  “When you wouldn’t wake up…”

Tara smiles sadly at the slayer.  “I didn’t mean to worry you, honey.”  Tara whispers, running her fingers through Buffy’s hair to cup behind her head, leaning in to brush her lips softly over Buffy’s.  Sighing softly at the feel of her lover’s lips, Tara slowly works her way from one corner of the slayer’s mouth to the other corner, placing small gentle kisses along the top lip before working her way across the bottom lip.  “I love you.”  Tara whispers, before leaning in, kissing Buffy more firmly, running her tongue over the lips she’d just kissed, moaning as Buffy’s lips grant her access to her mouth, languidly acquainting herself with the slayer’s mouth, Tara starts to run her free hand around Buffy’s body.  Gently cupping the slayer’s breast in her hand, Tara strokes her thumb over the hardened nub.

Buffy whimpers into the kiss, slowly breaking it off.  “I need to shower, Tara.”  Buffy whispers, panting heavily as the gentle, exploring kiss lit a fire deep inside her.

“You’re fine.”  Tara mumbles as she kisses her way across Buffy’s cheek and jaw, slowly making her way down her lover’s neck, nibbling softly on the skin.  Feeling the heat and dampness coming even more strongly from her lover, Tara gently squeezes Buffy’s breast.  “I need you.”  Tara admits quietly as she releases Buffy, wrapping her arms around the slayer, slowly turning them to lay Buffy beneath her on the bed.

Buffy starts to open her mouth about really needing a shower.  But seeing the deep need showing in Tara’s eyes, Buffy lifts her head to kiss her lover firmly, silently giving her agreement. 

Tara slowly kisses her way down Buffy’s neck and across her upper chest, making love to every bit of skin on her way down her lover’s body.  Spending a half hour just making love to Buffy’s breasts as she kneads, kisses, licks and sucks across the flesh with a gentle touch, not being rushed or rough in any way. 

Buffy moans loudly as Tara continues to kiss over her body, knowing that nothing she would do or say would deter Tara from what she needs.  Feeling the connection between them slowly growing stronger with every minute that Tara spends kissing and touching her, realizing they’re connecting on a much deeper level than she would have believed possible.

Tara hums deeply in her throat as she feels Buffy opening herself to her on a spiritual level, surprised at the depth of the woman, feeling the love, the pain, the hurt and everything else that the slayer had felt over the years slowly saturating her essence, moaning quietly as she is bombarded with the amount of love Buffy feels for her invading her entire being, eclipsing everything else the slayer had gone through, making everything pale in comparison.  “Goddess.”  Tara murmurs leaning up to kiss Buffy lovingly even as she finally feels the slayer’s fingers gently digging in her back.  Looking into hazel eyes filled with love, desire and the knowledge of the connection building between them.  “I love you.”  Tara whispers as she slowly opens herself to the slayer, watching as the slayer’s eyes open wide in surprise at the feelings and knowledge coursing through her.

“Oh, my…”  Buffy whimpers softly as the feelings slowly swirl within her, the love for her at the forefront, soothing her inner worry and fear as she comes to the conclusion that they will always be there for each other, and as long as they have each other, everything else would eventually be okay.  Buffy whimpers and arches her body as Tara works her way further down her body and is stroking over her stomach and abdomen even as she places loving kisses on the flesh working her way steadily downwards…  It finally occurring to Buffy that Tara’s literally worshiping her. 

Finally arriving at her lover’s center, after hours of slowly making love to the rest of her, Tara inhales deeply of her lover’s aroma, so strong.  Gently brushing her fingertips over her lover’s desire coated mound and soft, swollen outer lips, Tara places gentle kisses on the flesh before stroking over her lover’s body with soft gentle laps of her tongue without delving within for long minutes.

Buffy whimpers loudly at the torturously slow rate of her lover’s movements, releasing her lover’s hair as she realizes she’s almost pulling on Tara’s hair.  Dragging her hands up her body, Buffy plays around her own breasts and stomach as Tara builds the fire within her to a red hot heat that would melt steel.  As Tara finally spreads her lips and her tongue caresses over her swollen clit, Buffy cries out loudly in release, it only taking a single touch to bring her to climax.

Tara moans loudly, before continuing to stroke her tongue over Buffy, holding onto the slayer’s thighs as Buffy bucks and wiggles under her, the slayer rolling from one orgasm to another with barely a breath between them.  Listening to the cries, whimpers and groans coming from Buffy, she trails her tongue downwards to delve within her lover’s center, whimpering loudly as the slayer’s inner muscles drag her tongue in even as she climaxes again.  Tara growls softly as she feels her own body finally follow the slayer over into orgasm.  Dragging her tongue gently over the slayer’s swollen sex Tara gathers the fluid that is still escaping from Buffy before finally kissing her way slowly up her lover’s body, part of her mind taking note of the slayer’s quivering body. 

“Come ‘ere.”  Buffy grunts quietly and jerks, her body arching as Tara’s fingers stroke over her sex even as her lips caress over her breast, slowly working over to the other breast, taking time out to suckle softly on each aching nipple.  Feeling Tara’s fingers slide deep within her depths, slowly retreating to just the tips being within her before sliding home again.  “Tara, please.”  Buffy begs quietly, her hips slowly counterthrusting at the exquisitely slow stroke of her lover, moaning loudly as Tara’s fingers slowly curl and twist within her, alternately hitting the bundle of nerves within her to stroking almost curiously inside, mapping out her body.

“I’m here.”  Tara whispers as she works her way up Buffy’s body, straddling one of her lover’s thighs, while holding her body slightly above Buffy’s body, just lightly brushing against her lover.  Looking down into passion-filled hazel eyes, Tara brushes her lips over Buffy as she keeps up her slow, gentle strokes.

“God!  You’re going to drive me insane.”  Buffy whimpers, her body shuddering as she feels the start of an earth moving climax rolling through her body, moaning loudly, Buffy arches her whole body up, effectively lifting Tara with her as she floods her lover’s hand. 

Tara bites her own lip as she watches the pleasure wash over the slayer’s flushed face.  “So beautiful.”  Tara whispers, finally slowing her fingers down to a stop, buried within her lover’s body as Buffy’s muscles clench and unclench at a feverish pace, even as she continues to give up her nectar.  As Buffy collapses back onto the bed, Tara buries her face in her lover’s neck kissing the skin under her lips softly, never wanting to leave the slayer’s embrace.

Buffy blinks trying to clear her vision as she breathes in deeply.  Slowly bringing her heart rate back down to normal, she hugs Tara tightly and gently kneads her back with her fingertips. 

Tara relaxes and sighs quietly.  “I think you’re going to be late for work.”

“I called in earlier.  I’m taking today off.”  Buffy admits quietly, smiling as Tara relaxes even more into her, her body slowly losing the tenseness to her muscles as she continues to stroke and knead her lover.  “Are you doing better now?”

“Getting there.”  Tara sighs quietly, slowly easing her fingers from inside her lover, trailing them gently over Buffy’s body. 

“Want to talk about it?”  Buffy bites gently on her bottom lip as she waits for Tara’s answer. 

“Do I want to talk about the fact that Spike was going to kill you last night?  Not really.”  Tara shakes her head, closing her eyes, the events of the previous night playing behind her eyelids. 

“How about the fact that you dusted him?”  Buffy whispers softly, feeling Tara tense in her arms.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat.”  Tara admits, slowly relaxing.  “I don’t like taking life… but when it comes down to a blood sucking vampire, or a human being, especially one that I’m completely in love with… the vampire will lose every time.”

“I didn’t know how you would feel about it after all he’s sort of helped us out over the last year or so.”  Buffy offers softly.

“Usually when it served his own personal gains.”  Tara admits, knowing the truth of the matter.  “I think he may have actually liked Dawn, but if he turned on you so easily, what would he have done to her?  He was willing to do whatever he could to take you out, and that’s evil, through and through.  I won’t worry, or shed a tear over his death.”  Tara growls quietly.

Buffy shifts to her side, looking at Tara as she brushes her hand gently over the Wiccan’s cheek.  “I love you, Tara.  You’re a kind, sweet soul.  That’s why I’m worried about you having dusted Spike.  I honestly can’t remember a time when you were the one to take out one of the demons.”

“I have.”  Tara admits quietly, looking into worried hazel eyes.  Sighing quietly, Tara tilts her forehead ‘til it’s resting against Buffy’s.  “I may have a passing twinge of guilt occasionally, but I don’t foresee it being anything more than that.” 

“You shouldn’t even feel that, Tara.” Buffy shifts to rub her cheek softly over Tara’s. 

“I know.”  Tara whispers placing a kiss on Buffy’s ear, wrapping her arm around the slayer to hold her tightly. 

“I really need a shower.  I don’t know how you can stand me.”  Buffy’s nose wrinkles as she gets a whiff of her own body.  “How come these things don’t work on me?  I could use the lack of smell about right now.”

Tara chuckles quietly as she pulls back, a grin on her face.  “That’s because I made them that way.  Figured you might like to know if you need a shower… don’t want you going around for weeks not showering, you know.”

Buffy pouts, her eyes starting to twinkle as Tara’s eyes twinkle with amusement.  “Are you going to let me go shower?”

“Well, I need to shower, also.”  Tara purses her lips, her eyes starting to twinkle with mischief.

“Hmmm…  But we’re in the dorms, Tara.”  Buffy looks around the room unnecessarily. 

“Yes, but quite a few students are gone on Spring Break.”  Tara whispers softly, a huge grin on her face.  Wiggling her fingers, Tara cocks an eyebrow at the slayer.  “Plus I can make it so no one can come into the bathroom.  We just don’t want to take a loooooong time.” 

“I like the way you think.”  Buffy growls, rolling over and kissing Tara firmly before rolling off the bed, holding her hand out for the Wiccan.  “Come on, I really do feel disgusting.  I’ll change the sheets when we get back.”  Buffy points at the dirty sheets.

“They wash, just like we do.”  Tara glances at the sheets, seeing what Buffy’s pointing to.  “I’ll do a couple loads of laundry later.”  Tara shifts over to the closet, grabbing down two robes, moaning softly as Buffy wraps her arms around her, pulling her backwards against the slayer’s front. 

“Do I get the pleasure of learning your body more intimately today?”  Buffy huskily questions in the Wiccan’s ear as she brushes her lips softly over her neck. 

“After you eat breakfast and I get something together for dinner.  We also need to pick up some lunchmeat and bread for lunch.”  Tara swallows as Buffy nibbles gently down her neck. 

“’Kay.”  Buffy sighs quietly, hugging Tara tightly.  “Let’s go get wet…ter.”  Buffy smirks at the chuckle coming from Tara. 

“You got that right.”  Tara turns around after Buffy releases her from her grasp, kissing her tenderly as she hands the slayer a robe.  Grabbing up her shower kit, Tara smiles softly at her lover as they head out of her dorm room towards the showers.

***

Chapter 7

Tara sighs quietly as she looks down at her sleeping lover, the two women having spent the day making love multiple times, talking, eating and finally sleeping.  The onset of the night slowly approaching, Tara strokes a finger over Buffy’s cheek, smiling at the sight of the dark circles having lightened considerably.

Tara drops her head and snuggles into Buffy’s side as she thinks about the day, the tender touches and kisses from both women as they explored each other slowly, learning each other intimately while whispering endearments.  Smiling at the remembrance of Buffy acting like a kid in a candy store as she eagerly searched out all her sensitive areas, surprised herself when Buffy came across the spot just above the inside of her left ankle that had shot a serious jolt of desire to her center.  Remembering as Buffy had tried it on her right ankle with no reaction, before she’d grunted quietly and went back to her left ankle, nipping and licking gently as she’d brought her to a quivering mass of need and desire. 

“What are you smiling about?”  Buffy hoarsely questions as she feels the Wiccan’s lips curl against her neck as she slowly wakes. 

“Thinking about you.”  Tara admits easily, letting her hand stroke more firmly over the slayer’s body from where she’d just been lightly circling her fingers over her abdomen.  “I think we need another shower.”  Tara shifts so she can look into laughing hazel eyes.

“And fresh sheets put on the bed again.”  Buffy looks at the bed, still damp from their all day lovemaking fest. 

“Probably going to need to flip the mattress.”  Tara blushes lightly, even as Buffy laughs. 

“It’s getting to be that time, isn’t it?”  Buffy glances towards the window, seeing the last of the light fading away.

“Yes.”  Tara sighs quietly.  “Shower first?” 

Buffy’s eyes light up at the remembrance of their earlier shower, the fun of feeling the Wiccan’s body sliding up and down hers, the soap making their bodies slippery. 

“Not this time, Slayer!”  Tara chuckles as Buffy starts to pout.  “But that will definitely be a do again, just not right now.”  Tara taps Buffy on the nose, before kissing her softly.  “Come on, lover.  Let me heat up the rest of the roast for you before we get cleaned up.”

Buffy grumbles quietly under her breath as she watches Tara climb out of the bed.  Slowly trailing her eyes up Tara’s back, Buffy whimpers softly as she has the urge to kiss her way across the smooth expanse, like she’d done earlier that day.  Rolling out of the bed, Buffy turns around so she isn’t watching Tara, stripping the bed quickly, tossing the sheets with the other pile of sheets that still need to be washed.  “Should I flip the mattress?”  Buffy questions seriously.

“Maybe we should just leave it to air out while we’re gone.”  Tara glances over at Buffy, smiling lovingly at the petite slayer. 

“But, then we’ll have to make it when we get back.”  Buffy pouts at the thought of the delay of future lovings. 

“Well showers will probably be needed first, anyway.  We can just throw the blanket over the mattress and actually make it tomorrow.”  Tara suggests as she pulls out the container with the left over roast and vegetables out of the refrigerator before opening it and placing the item in the microwave.

“I like the way you think.”  Buffy grins hugely, grabbing the blanket and folding it over the end of the bed before heading towards the closet, grabbing down the extra blanket and placing it with the other one.  “Should I go ahead and shower?”

“Please.”  Tara looks up, her eyes twinkling merrily. 

“Oh, thanks.  Your nice way of telling me I stink.”  Buffy winks as she wraps a robe around her, reaching for the shower kit. 

“You’re not the only one.”  Tara crinkles her nose as she looks down at her body. 

“Hmmm.  I can put up with the smell, especially when I caused it.”  Buffy wiggles her eyebrows as she heads towards the door, smirking at Tara.

“Behave!”  Tara laughs.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too.  I’ll be back in a couple minutes.”  Buffy detours back over to Tara, grabbing her and kissing her firmly.  “I crave your touch, your smile and your love.  I never knew what it was like to need someone on such a deep level.”  Buffy whispers softly, her eyes serious. 

“It’s scary, isn’t it?”  Tara smiles tremulously at the slayer.  “I’ve never felt anything like this before, Buffy.  I feel like I have a part of you inside me… literally.”  Tara places a hand over her own heart.  “And I don’t EVER want to give it up.”

“My thoughts exactly.”  Buffy whispers before kissing Tara lovingly.  “You going with me on patrol?”

“Try to stop me.”  Tara grins crookedly at the slayer.

“Not going to happen.  I like having you with me.”  Buffy hugs Tara tightly before releasing her.  “Shower time.”  Buffy turns, chuckling as Tara smacks her on the butt.  “We’re going to have to discuss that, too.”

“I’m sure we’ll get around to it, Slayer.”  Tara laughs quietly as she presses the buttons for the microwave, starting to heat up the slayer’s dinner.

“Hope so.”  Buffy mumbles as she eases out of the room, shutting the door gently behind her.

“Goddess!  You are a loving, caring woman, Buffy.  And all I have to say, is the men in your life were idiots.”  Tara growls quietly, before grabbing out a couple waters for them to drink with the rest of the food, making a couple sandwiches to go along with the roast, knowing that probably wouldn’t be enough for Buffy.

***

Willow frowns as she flips through the book, looking over at the ingredients she’d picked up, sorting through them.  Setting a couple aside Willow glances back at the book, her mind working at a hundred miles an hour.

“If I take this part, mix it with that part…”  Willow grabs her notebook, making notes of the different parts of the spells, along with the ingredients needed for each spell.  “I need a spell where I can be specific in what I want her to remember.  I wonder if she‘s ever been hypnotized before?”  Willow tilts her head in consideration as she tries to remember something scratching at the back of her mind that she had read previously.  Looking around the room, her eyes narrow on the books as she tries to remember what she had read and from what book.  Her eyes fall on the Latin magical text of Spells and Transference.  Waving her hand, she grabs it out of the air as it floats to her, flipping through the pages, her eyes search before she grins. 

Scribbling quickly, Willow makes more notes, grabbing the different pens as she makes a section for what she wants the spell to do, along with the ingredients needed, and the sections of the different spells she would need to do.  Blending the spells together to hopefully get everything she wants as she thinks about her ex lover.  “I’ll give her the chance to make things right, if she doesn’t, hopefully this will make everything right in my world again.  She belongs to me.”  Willow growls angrily, her eyes flashing darkly. 

***

Tara chuckles as she walks a few yards ahead of Buffy, listening to the slayer bitching behind her.  “You’re definitely taking a shower… you’re not even allowed to step in my room, understand?”

“It’s not fair!”  Buffy growls as she looks down at her body, the noxious smelling green blood from the demon she’d killed practically coating her whole body.  “Are you sure you can’t make it so I can’t smell this?”  Buffy whines quietly. 

“Oh, no, Slayer!!  I’m not the only one that’s senses are going to be bombarded with that smell!”  Tara looks over her shoulder at her lover.

“You’re not smelling it, you’re walking ahead of me so you won’t.”  Buffy pouts, picking up her pace as Tara looks forward again.

“Back off, Slayer!”  Tara warns, the laughter obvious in her voice. 

“How the hell do you do that?”  Buffy grumps, allowing Tara to spread the distance between them again. 

“My secret.”  Tara grins hugely at the loud growl she receives in response. 

“I love you, heart, body, mind and soul, but I really do NOT like you at this moment.”  Buffy growls as she follows behind the laughing Wiccan. 

“Poor baby.  How about I promise to make it up to you later?”  Tara offers as she opens the door to her dorm building, jogging quickly ahead as Buffy tries to get close again. 

“How?”  Buffy’s eyes light up, even as she frowns as she watches Tara increase the distance between them.  “Hey, I thought I only had to keep back a few yards!”

“That’s while we were outside, you’re starting to infect a bigger area inside.”  Tara wrinkles her nose at the smell even as she jogs quickly up her stairs. 

Buffy chuckles wickedly, chasing after the Wiccan.  “But, Tara!!  You looooove me.”  Buffy calls after her, grinning as Tara whimpers as she takes off running. 

“Shower, Slayer!”  Tara yells as she runs to her room, sliding in front of the door, quickly unlocking and running in as Buffy comes up to the door. 

“Tara!!”  Buffy whines. 

“To the showers.  I expect you to go down there, strip and…  Maybe you should leave the clothes on and rinse them in the shower first.  I’ll bring a trash bag to seal them in afterwards to take down to the laundry room tomorrow morning.  Go!  I’ll bring towels, washcloths, the shower kit and a robe for you to wear.”  Tara orders even as she gathers the items.

Buffy pouts.  “Do you know how hard it is to pull off wet denim?”

“Isn’t it already wet?”  Tara questions as she tries not to laugh at her lover.

“GRRRR!”  Buffy growls loudly, before stomping down the hallway towards the showers.  “You better make it up to me.  Being mean to me, picking on me, laughing at me.  Not fair!” 

***

Tara eases into the shower stall behind Buffy, smiling at the naked slayer.  Looking into the corner of the stall, the slayer’s clothes piled in a wet pile, Tara reaches around the slayer, placing the shower kit on the shelf before adjusting the temperature so it isn’t quite so hot.  “I know you’re the slayer, but I’d prefer to keep my skin… not burn it off.”  Tara jokes quietly, smiling as Buffy turns around to look at her.

“You didn’t say you were going to join me in the shower.”  Buffy starts to reach for the Wiccan, before sighing quietly and pulling her hand back.

“You smell better, honey.”  Tara murmurs, grabbing the shampoo out of the kit.  “Turn around and I’ll wash your hair for you.”

“Hmmm.  Can I put in for you to wash all of me?”  Buffy wiggles her eyebrows before turning around. 

“Last shower we got kind of sidetracked before I could give you a thorough washing, didn’t we?”  Tara squirts a good amount of shampoo on her hand before handing the bottle to Buffy.  “Put that up for me, honey.”

Buffy places the shampoo on the shelf, moaning quietly as Tara’s fingers bring her hair to a good thick lather before the fingers scratch her head, making her groan loudly.  “God, that feels good.” 

“Your real weak spot.  A good head scratch.”  Tara chuckles softly as she continues to work over the slayer’s scalp for a few long minutes.  “Rinse, honey.”

Buffy whimpers quietly.

“There’s a repeat clause for the shampoo, honey.  But I want to wash your body first before I repeat.”  Tara explains. 

“Okay!”  Buffy smiles happily as she steps under the water, letting the warm water rinse the shampoo out of her hair. 

“Sound kind of eager there, Slayer.”  Tara chuckles as she grabs the washcloth, wetting it and squirting a good amount of shower gel on the cloth.  “Grab the other cloth, honey.  Wash your face, I’d offer, but I don’t want to accidentally get soap in your eyes.”  Tara smiles as Buffy grabs the cloth, accepting the gel from her and squirting a small amount on it before scrubbing her face thoroughly.  “Make sure to clean behind your ears.” 

Buffy growls quietly as she works the washcloth behind her ears and inside her ears.  Dipping her head back under the water, she rinses the soap from her face. 

Tara shifts Buffy’s hair to the side as she starts to wash the slayer’s neck, slowly working her way down the strong back in firm circular motions.  Stopping at the starting swells of the slayer’s butt cheeks, Tara smirks at the grunt of disapproval coming from Buffy.  Reaching back up, Tara works her way from one shoulder down the slayer’s arm, cleaning it thoroughly before working over to the other shoulder, repeating the cleaning ritual.  Rinsing the washcloth, Tara grabs the gel squirting more of the liquid on the cloth before turning Buffy to face her.  Working over the front of the slayer’s body, Tara leans forward, kissing Buffy firmly. 

“Good kisses.”  Buffy mumbles, feeling the desire flowing through her strongly. 

“You had a really good night slaying tonight.”  Tara comments, smiling at the deep flame of desire in Buffy’s eyes.  At the quick nod coming from her lover, Tara wiggles her eyebrows. 

“You never said how you were going to make it up to me.”  Buffy groans loudly as Tara washes her breasts, spending longer on them than necessary to get them clean. 

“So responsive.”  Tara murmurs as she looks at the hardened nubs.  “Umm.  How would you like me to make it up to you?”  Tara questions, taking a shaky breath as the desire flows through her.  Wanting to say to hell with cleaning Buffy and take her right now.  Kneeling gently in front of the slayer, Tara skips her lover’s apex and washes down one strong leg before shifting to the other leg. 

“You missed a spot.”  Buffy comments, her voice hoarse as she looks at Tara kneeling before her. 

“I did, did I?”  Tara grins up at Buffy, running her free hand up one thigh, allowing her fingers to brush over her lover’s swollen apex.  “You didn’t tell me how you wanted me to make it up to you.”  Tara points out again as she slowly stands, letting the other hand with the washcloth to trail up the other thigh before sliding gently between her lover’s legs. 

Buffy moans, grabbing Tara’s shoulders as she spreads her legs wide.  As Tara runs the cloth gently over her body, Buffy whimpers quietly. 

“Talk to me, Buffy.”  Tara orders softly placing her thumb gently over her lover’s swollen clit, slowly circling the sensitive muscle.

“Please…”  Buffy rocks against Tara’s thumb, wanting her lover to give her the pressure she needs.

“What, honey?”  Tara leans in, brushing her lips over Buffy’s ear. 

“Harder.”  Buffy whispers, clenching Tara’s shoulders firmly.

Tara presses harder against her lover’s swollen clit, while keeping up the circular motion.  Hearing the slayer whisper harder again, Tara gives Buffy what she needs, pressing hard and rubbing quickly, she feels her lover tense and shudder against her as she cries out quietly in release.  Wrapping her free arm around Buffy, as the slayer collapses against her.  “Easy, sweetie.  That’s just letting the pressure off, until we get back to the room.  Kind of like venting a pressure cooker.”  Tara whispers softly, pressing her lips against Buffy’s temple.

Whimpering quietly, Buffy nods.  “Little pressure release.  Big cooker.”  Buffy mumbles against Tara’s shoulder, smiling as Tara chuckles. 

“Let me finish washing you, honey.”  Tara hugs Buffy as the slayer wraps her arms around her squeezing tightly before releasing her.  Moving around her, Tara grabs the shower gel, squirting a little more on the cloth before running it over the slayer’s gluts.  “Goddess, you’re gorgeous.  But you have an absolutely glorious ass.”  Tara whispers, her eyes on the firm muscles.  Sliding the washcloth between her lover’s cheeks, Tara smirks as Buffy widens her legs even further. 

“I kind of figured out that you liked it.”  Buffy admits softly, her eyes closing in pleasure as Tara strokes gently between her butt cheeks. 

“And how did you figure that out?”  Tara questions, letting the washcloth drop to the floor as she strokes her fingers gently over her lover’s butt.  Tara slides her index finger between the clenching cheeks, to play over Buffy’s rosebud.  Smiling as Buffy groans loudly, pressing back into the caress. 

“Because you spent a good portion of today kissing, licking and nibbling it.”  Buffy finally answers after a few long moments. 

“Noticed that, did you?”  Tara’s eyes crinkle as her lips quirk up into a smile. 

“Ohhh.  That feels good.”  Buffy moans louder as Tara barely presses against her sphincter muscle. 

“Would you be interested in taking this further?”  Tara huskily whispers, nipping gently on Buffy’s shoulder.