"Nothing Special written all over"

[Kerrison20]

I'm totally lovin' this fic. I'm glad that Willow got Tara away from her father. I just hope that he doesn't pop back up and cause trouble for the girls. Five star rating.....oh wait, those aren't stars are they?? oops. Ok five cute little hearts then.



My nice half says "please update soon", while my little evil side says "update now"



Lisa

[bluewillowwitch]

,

I loved those update! Buffy is so is going to sooooo gret it from I can't wait to more and see what happens next. Update soon, please?







bluewillowwitch

--------------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

[FearBobaFett]

Lovely, really. Just one thing ... a 15-something hour day would have her leaving at 12am (midnight) not 12 pm (lunchtime).



Senor A of the Nerd Squad

[Lady6string]

LOL... I play folkie guitar too. Ani Difranco style!



Anyhow, I love Tara's password, and I can't wait to see all the W/T romance and goodiness and smoochiness! It's cool that you have them walking on eggshells around eachother at first. That will make the goodiness that much better when it happens.



~Cyn

Edited by: Lady6string at: 9/27/03 2:18 am

[justin]

That was a great update. Again it was large with the funnyness



Willow does seem to be overworking herself. I just hope that Tara can do something about that.



looking forward to reading more.

Anya in a wimple...I'd pay full admission for that. Gods Served And Abandoned - by Antigone Unbound

[LostWithoutTara]

Tara's password was .



Liking the Colombian drug lord Willow



Here's hoping Tara can give her some advice so she doesn't work herself so hard.

Every time you walk away, I pretend that I'm okay

[Arwen276]

Babbling about pancakes? breaking the boundaries?



Now that WAS A BIG LAUGH!!!!



MOREEEEEE !





~Arwen

Hear That Baby? You're My Always... Willow

[WillowPowered]

uh oh, Willows in trouble now that Tara is on the case.



I love this fic, next part please.



Jill

~~~~~~~~

Willow - Say, you all didn't happen to do a bunch of drugs did ya?



My Home Page



“Bite me” - the general, all-purpose response suitable for all occasions.

[sam darls]

Wonderful update, as always..and so sweet. And Tara's password was so cute. love sammi xx

[i dig redheads]

chica roja?

this fic is so great, you've managed to convince a lurker to come out from her cave to post, a rare occurance indeed.

love your fic, eagerly awaiting more (as i trot back to my cave)

[foreverpiper]

where have i been!?! I come back and theres TWO updates!! i feel so...so privilaged right on!! and *gasp* does buffy...does buffy actually trying to hook them up?! shes NOT clueless in this!! *beams* bravo!! (happy tears) ...have i mentioned how much in love i am with this fic? ah well...now you know again!

Galahad: What a strange person. French Dude: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. Galahad: Is there someone else up their we could talk to? French Dude: No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time. - Monty Python

[snuggle79]

Cute password, really really lovely.

Cool thing, that Buffy did here..tee hee.

Awesome update!

snuggle79

This is how everyday should end and start ..and all the stuff in the middle

The greatest thing you'll learn, is just to love and be loved in return.

[Grimlock72]

Owww.. I found this fic just now (thats what you get for working a fulltime week, grmbl).. it's very nice. The update frequency is nice too btw .



I like the Williw-in-Shining-Armour part, though I probably would have taken Tara to hospital to get checked over just to be sure. Willow can help Tara get out of her dad's mess and Tara can help Willow having a less hollow life. Good description of a burned-out person, still doing the same thing every day without much purpose.



I'm not too afraid of Mr. MaClay causing trouble, legally Willow probably has enough lawyers to handle him. Just hire a private investigator to make sure Mr. MaClay stays well away, preferably in another country or so...far...faaaar away.



I like the humour in your writing, esp. the times when Willow confuses herself with thinking-bables . Or lines like these: " The rest of the eating-in crowd looked over for a moment, saw where the commotion was coming from and went back to work.

" and " Willow snapped back to the conversation that originally involved two speakers"... fun those, made me smile :-)



So Willow has TWO PA's now ? Surely Buffy has to do some real work in order to earn her pay ? Can't really imagine Buffy as a PA for some reason, doesn't strike me as the type for such a job. (more of an outdoorsy-go-getter if that makes sense)



Yeah Willow is falling love alright, too bad she doesn't recognize it as such. Good to see Buffy trying to fix that somehow. Willow really shouldn't work the long hours she does, it can't be nessecary... not really. Hire more Assistent Directors if there really IS that much work. You can only work such hours for so long before crashing down, which ain't nice. Well if Willow won't care for herself, I'm sure Tara will



Also like the entire setup of Willow being a bigshot in a computer-firm. Always figured she would be succesfull in that field. Now she needs some success in the emotional field as well and all will be alright.... see to it will you ??



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

[thebardgirl]

Yo DUDES! vat is up? (besides the sky)? hmmm let's reply to people. oh, and if you haven't noticed, the titles i give to my replies are going to be mini-questions, quizes, and strange things i like to throw out to you people. just so i can get around the whole fretting over thinking of some steller new title that describes the chapter while at the same time revealing yet another human aspect of life...etc. etc. etc. and onward we go!



Kerrison20-i'm glad you're loving my writing, that is totally cool....in several languages too. and no, he doesn't come back. jesus, you kittens have been scared by btvs haven't you? he will NOT return. at least in MY world. but i'm glad you're reading and ejoying, and heh...i get five hearts? That rocks. Sings: "i get hearts whoo...cause they're for me...not you...." Oooo split personality eh? hmm...well i'll update to satisfy both, how's that sound?



bluewillowwitch-again thanks for the wonderful display of pictures....they're so cool. and i'm glad you saw what i was setting up...oh yes, Tara will be a not-happy Tara. but we'll see if she gets anywhere with it.....



FearBobaFett- Hey now, a NEW reader/replier-person-thingy! whoo....ah you found my fault; editing. ah well, i apologize i let that slip. for some reason my mind sees mistakes as corrections, but once some else points them out to be false its like, "oh." i hope you keep reading, even if its to say when i have bad timing; cause i have a problem with that in real life as well.... oh another thingy: you like star wars? i saw one time in a flee market a 50$ collectable boba fett action figure and i wanted it more than anything else in the world. me like star wars. me like alot. course that could have just been Leila....i don't know.



Lady6string-ah! Ani! My best friend ADORES her, and she went to her concert last year or something or other. heh...you liked the password? that for some reason almost gave me writers' block; i couldn't figure one out for the longest time, and then it just hit me! cause yeah, the whole "yours" speech sorta is the crux of their relationship....duh...*smacks head*...and yes! eggshells! i was thinking that too....this is eggshell-land, this fic is located right around the corner of Humpty Dumpty.



justin-funnyness? whoo to that. i love to make people laugh, only it sometimes results in the strange looks of which i speak. and yes, Tara will do what she can...she's not a happy camper...great now i'm thinking of Tara as a camp instructer....lord the visions will not stop....they will not stop!!



LostWithoutTara-ah yes, the password, i'm glad people are responding to it well, it took a while to figure out for some reason. and yes, the columbian drug lord was fun...i wanted to create a whole dream sequence just on that....but then, that wouldn't really go with the rest of the story, so i had to chuck it. and yes, i think Tara shall have to advise willow on the dangers of evil workdom.



Arwen276-ah! you're back! whooo......ah you liked my pancake joke? well, that makes me happy. when i posted that i was worried i was going too far with the switcherroo...but i'm glad you like that.



WillowPowered-yes, she's been a very bad savior hero person. i'm glad you love it! that makes me so happy and nice to meet you jill.



sam darls- yeah the password, that seems to be the biggest thing so far on the responses, i guess i should make up more passwords more often. hmmm....can you?



i dig redheads-i've DELURKED someone? *runs around jumping up and down....then crashes into wall, causing a slight bump to grow where her brain once was* ow....well, that is sooo cool. cause i did that no less than 2 or 3 months ago. ah! you like chica roja? oh good, that was fun to write. and i must say your screen name is exactly what made me sorta get a clue of who i really was; first there was Scully *sigh* and then Willow *sigh*x's2 then i suddenly realised...hmmm i'm seeing a trend here. true enough i found out something about myself i didn't know. so yeah, i dig the screen name. and hey, you have a cave? can i come visit some time? perhaps i'll bring a flash light? and some popcorn? caves are just better with the right supplies.



foreverpiper-where have you been? here am i waiting for your return, and *sniff* no one was there! ahh you seem happy with my "smart Buffy" take...good....cause i like Buffy, she's cool....she started the show....without her, no w/t. so i didn't want to dis her in my fic. oh no, you're crying? jees, *hands napkin* i...i...i didn't mean to make you cry...well i'm glad at least you're enjoying it!



snuggle79-thankyou. yea, i like buffy, she's cool in my world too. and if you think this last update was "lovely" i will let you onto a little small secret i can't hold in...*grins* there's another part coming up some time in the future that sort of tops whatever romance i've exposed you guys to yet. so i hope you can stick around, because it's my fav. bit of the whole fic; one word: cookies.



hmm...okay...update time!





Chapter 11



It was a cool Monday night; the sky was a cloudless black covering the horizon as a blanket to a child in the winter. Willow was finally shutting down her computer and putting away her papers. It was 11:48 pm and she was exhausted. It was insane really. She didn’t understand why she worked these hours. But it was the only way for her to keep herself busy, perhaps stop thinking about her alone time. It didn’t matter though, at this rate she would be a billionaire in 5 years and then never have to work again. That was worth it wasn’t it?



The office rooms were quiet and basically pitch black, as always at this time of night. No one was this stupid to stay this late, except for her that is. But she had her reasons, jobs to fulfill, computers to be distributed, and programs to be created. She had just closed her door when all of a sudden a hand crept up and snagged her on the shoulder, pulling her to the side. Her heart leapt up inside her throat causing her to barely echo a yelp.



“Willow?” Came the voice.



“Tara? Oh Jesus, you scared the living daylights out of me! What are you doing here at this insane hour?”



“I could ask you the same thing,” Tara said with tiredness in her throat but a purposeful note in it as well.



“Wha? I, oh, well,” Explaining herself to Buffy was a lot easier than explaining herself to Tara. She didn’t want to seem like a dope that couldn’t work all day and had to work at night to keep up. But she didn’t want to seem like the type who would prefer work to people.



“You shouldn’t work so much,” Tara said worried and annoyed.



“Tara, I’m fine, if anyone should be checked up on, it’s you missy. Besides I meant to ask you how’s your head?” Willow said diverting the subject.



“You already asked me that twice today and don’t start getting off subject,” Tara said again worried and distraught. “Why is she so worried about me?” Willow thought. “Does she think I’m going to die and she’ll be out of a job?”



“Look, Tara I’m fine and whatever happens you’ll always have a job here, so don’t worry about me, okay? Besides you should have been in bed like 2 hours ago! What are you doing here?”



“I, uh, I,” Tara was caught too. She hadn’t planned Willow to ask her that, she had planned to take Willow back to her apartment and put her on the couch and make her pancakes in the morning. That was the way it was supposed to go. That was how it happened last time. Why wasn’t it working?



“I was just waiting to, uh, to ask you a question, that’s all,” Tara said lamely.



“You waited ten hours to ask me a question?” Tara was panicking inside: “Oh yeah, she’s really going to buy this.”



“Yes, its just you were busy all day and I didn’t know when you’d be in, so I figured I would wait you out I-I-I didn’t realize how long y-y-you’d be,” Tara said desperately.



“Oh. Tara if you ever need to talk to me, just walk right in. Buffy does it anyway and she never asked whether or not it was okay, but you I give full permission, okay? ANYTIME you need to talk, please feel free, I will not stop you from you and your opinion, got it?” Willow added in a huff, she couldn’t believe she was the cause of yet another person’s bad day. How could she have been so stupid as to not see Tara looking for her? For God’s sake she was ALWAYS looking for her.



“Okay, will do.”



“Good, and lets agree to never meet at this hour again, if you have any questions call me or come into my office, and please, Tara as your boss, listen to me when I say leave when your work period is up. I don’t want you overworking yourself,” Willow said again worried for Tara. She was already walking towards the exit with Tara in hot pursuit.



How could Tara have let this happen? One moment she had Willow caught big time and had the power of guilt on her side. Next moment Willow had turned the tables and used her own power to stop the force of Taraguilt. This was not the way she planned it. Well, Willow granted her the right of opinion at any time during her workday. She would use it, there was nothing wrong with using your given rights, was there?



Tara would let this night go, at least she got to walk Willow out and drive her home. (Willow deliberately forgot the lease she lent to Tara on the new BMW when talking to Buffy, it would have just taken too long to explain to her, which was more than she wanted to do seeing as it took forever to convince Tara is was okay.)



But she wouldn’t let Willow go entirely, some day she’d get Willow cornered, and then, persuade her in the best possible way she could think of. Only trouble was, she didn’t know when or how that was going to occur.













okay, i know that's only one chapter, but there's a reason for that. the next update starts something that sort of is the major subplot of the fic, and so this was where i had to stop, sort of give you kittens a breather, if effect. reply back to me, and probably tomorrow, or sooner if there's a huge demand, i'll start the *drum roll* big-scary-but-not-really-scary-more-or-less-entertaining-part.

-elizabeth....you do realize posting my fic is my new favorite hobby? i'm always smiling because of you kittens. thanks again.

Edited by: thebardgirl at: 9/27/03 5:52 pm

[thebardgirl]

ah! Grimmy! you replied just as i posted! you bad bad person you! no, but i've always been reading your responses because of other fics you enjoyed were the ones i've read, and i'm so happy you're reading mine; you really respond, and really discuss the fic. it's nice. like you see fic actually has more levels than just entertainment, but human emotions, and actions as well.

Tara in my mind was not too badly beaten up, just enough to make you worried but not enough to involve a third party, at least that's how i wanted it to be. It was just so i could keep the intimate tension between the two.

Yes, Willow's work habbit is not such a good, but that's sort of what i did to myself last year, cause "junior year is your most important" blah blah blah. so, i'm actually channeling Willow into that, poor thing doesn't deserve it, but there you go.

Ah and i'm glad we're on the same line with the whole, Father staying away thing. Oh cool, you like my humor too, the more subtle stuff is always fun to write. Oh and i know it doesn't seem like it but, there IS a difference between buffy and tara's job. Buffy is Willow's secretary, Tara is her "personal assitant". although i never wrote it down, i feel Buffy in effect got the well paying job out of Willow's kindness, not computer know-how or skill.

i promise you i will see to whatever willow needs. for my sake, she deserves a happy end.

thanks for reading! i'd love to read more of your replies.

-elizabeth

Last night in sweet slumber I dreamed I did see my own precious jewel sat smiling by me.

And when I awakened I found it not so; my eyes like some fountain with tears overflowed.

[bluewillowwitch]

thebardgirl ,

I love this update! I love the way that tuned what was going to say back on her. I can't wait to see what does to convince that she needs to leave eairlier. Maybe smoochies soon? Can't wait to more. Update soon, please?







bluewillowwitch

---------------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

[WintersDreamer]

Hhhmmm do I KNOW the muffin man?..... Weeeelll no... however, his sister is a completely different matter...



HHHHEERRRREEEEE's Lizzy ..... does this mean you will come the my door with a manical grin on your face, a gleam in your eye, and a .... axe ..... in your pocket?



Anywho.... How did Willow manage to turn that around? hmmm looks like I need to take lessons in "guilt reversal".



Great update... little bit little though (insert whine)



Latter

[foreverpiper]

*takes napkin* aah...all better now!



i just finished watcing daredevil and i must say...i needed something to take my mind of the depressing ending that it was!



now...onto the REAL feedback! well...after watching daredevil ( ) i came upstairs to my room, and i went straight to the kitten to check for updates (would i do anything else? ) and i remember...i left my impossibly large jaw breaker downstairs. so i was just about to go back downstaris and get it...but then YOUR updated fic caught my eye, and, well, its sufficiant to say that you put a nice dely in me going back down the stairs and getting my jaw breaker!



what i'm trying to say, if you dont understand my ramblings...as most people dont...is that i love your fic SO much, that i was willing to sacrfice a whole 5 minutes from eating the jawbreaker to read YOUR fic keep em coming!

Galahad: What a strange person. French Dude: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. Galahad: Is there someone else up their we could talk to? French Dude: No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time. - Monty Python

[The Rose24]

I love this update. I would like to request you get the update up soon. I don't know if I can wait much longer.



Tara isn't a very good liar is she? I hope she can talk some sense into Willow.



Are there going to be smoochies soon?

Tara: My heart doesn't stutter.


Tara: Willow, I got so lost.

Willow: I found you. I will always find you.

Edited by: The Rose24  at: 9/27/03 10:16 pm

[thebardgirl]

Okay, uh its late for me. i'm tired, and i'm happy people are continuing to read, but i just remembered, this next chapter is uh kinda cruel, in the way that it's kind of a huge cliffhangery thing and angsty. hmmm.....to post or not to post? and i do realize, smoochies are kind of absent at this point. but...but....they shall occur. it's just, ummm...i hafta get Tara and Willow past all of this *points at pile of emotions* to get them to this *points at great-googly-moogly-can-i-own-those?-avatars* so.....i hate saying this....i hate even more disapointing you guys, but no smoochies as of yet. it will happen though. be rest assured about that. just not.....now. *smiles nervously* it was the cat who made me do it. i swear.





bluewillowwitch-yo dude i'm so pleased you're liking this fic, i only hope you'll bear with me and my slowness, it's kind of a disease...i feel bad for not speeding this up. but, but, i had this whole thing planned.....heh...i'm finding the fault of my day dreams in germany; no sense of pace at all.



WintersDreamer-his sister eh? hmm....*tries to think that one over* OOooooohhhh....i get it. i'm slow like that. heh....i was going for the shinning at that moment in time, although me looking like jack nicholson just ends up looking like a baby on speed. not a good thing. and yea, willow's brilliant like that. darn her and her guilt switcherooing! i'm mending that small update problem as we speak!



foreverpiper-you know, i've never watched dare devil and now that it's been so poorly done, as said by you, i don't think i ever will. and wow! i'm so....so....*blushes* wow.....i DO completely understand the greatness of what you have said. i myself have been partial to jaw breakers...*takes on deeper tone of voice* i know the thrill....i know the joy of finishing it....and i know the incessant want for more...always, always MORE. hmmm....i'm a dramatic girl, just ignore me. and so must i inform you how much your response means to me, since you're so sweet when you do.



The Rose24-you know, you're request is actually what made me do this now, cause it's nice to hear it so officially. like its an order of pizza. mmm....pizza. and no, Tara is kinda sucky when it comes to lying, stealing and all things bad. oh dear lord, do you know how much I want there to be smoochies? i'm now regretting how slow i wrote it. but i can't very well go back and change it now, will you bear with me on it? i need all the support i can muster for being such a slow-poke.



NOTE YOU MUST READ OR ELSE ARE CONSIDERED A TABOO PAINTER OF CATS (it's okay, my mom is one) this is a cliffhanger, if you hadn't already read what i said up there, this is a CLIFFHANGER update...hmmm...i like shouting that. CLIFFHANGER...hee...that's fun...okay, i'll stop...*whispers* cliffhanger....







Chapter 12



There is nothing worse than working ten hours a day or more than working ten hours a day or more with a splitting headache caused by the loud, crude, and constantly banging construction workers outside your office. At least, Willow believed so from first hand experience. Of all the corners of this stupid building that had to be remodeled it was hers. Her beautiful brick building was under immense scaffolding all around her corner causing her beautiful view to look like a cave of beams, metal and half dressed sweaty men. She missed the days of when she could see the cars, streets, and smog of Sunnydale.



Today was a normal working day; it didn’t really matter what day specifically to Willow. She barely kept track; every day was the same and she was starting to go to work on Saturdays and Sundays to get ahead for the upcoming week. Would no one stop the force of Willow work? Probably not. But she knew what she was doing, she could take care of herself, and she knew her limits. Working was never a bad thing and she had so much to do, or rather, could do instead of giving it to those who were supposed to.



It wasn’t all that bad either. She was always ahead of all the other competitors on the market. She never left a project without giving her utmost attention to it, and she managed to see all her clients in order, on time. So why was she always being attacked? Didn’t Buffy know that it was a good thing she was doing? She was trying to help other people; it was for the good of humanity! Besides, why waste time on herself when she could be doing something worthwhile? She wasn’t anything to be loved or wanted, so she had to make herself better, whatever that entailed.



Willow’s office looked even more crowded than usual. The desk as always had a multiplying stack of papers, but now large wooden panels lay across the ceiling to prevent it from falling on Willow’s head. The construction company had told her to leave the office for the week while they worked, but she wouldn’t hear of that. “If they can say one week when really meaning four, then I have the right to watch them work and take so damn long!” Much to the operators dismay, Willow stayed put.



It wasn’t all that bad, though. She could do her work. It was just, awkward. In order to get to her desk she had to maneuver herself over two floor wires, then duck for a large beam coming straight through the wall at head height, right over her desk, not to mention the cacophony coming from the loud hammering, drilling, yelling, cussing, and the constant oh-please-will-you-stop-with-the-man-walks-into-a-bar-jokes talking. If Dante had lived to a ripe old age of 1,000 he probably would have labeled Willow’s Office Under Construction as the fourth dimension of Hell.



Willow was sitting at her desk rubbing her temples, jolting with every hammer BANG on the wall.



“Now, do you wish you should have said yes to the taking a week off speech?” Willow looked up from her mountain of work and saw a smirking Buffy. She decided not to let Buffy have the final laugh just yet. Willow was not going to let her friend bully her into taking time off. She could deal.



“What? Oh I don’t know what you’re talking about Buffy, it’s just a little bit of wood here and there, nothing--” BANG! BANG! BANG! “much…” Willow said defeated by the incessant hammer.



“Willow, I’ve seen less construction work on Home Improvement. You need to get out of here. You’ll go insane! Why are you doing this to yourself?” Buffy wasn’t going to let her get away with it anymore. She had put up with this self-abuse thing for way too long.



“Doing what?” Willow said annoyed.



“You’re hurting yourself and you don’t even seem to notice it!”



“I’m NOT hurting myself!”



“Willow, if you’re truly my friend, then you’ll walk out of this here office right now and GO HOME!” Willow had never been yelled at by Buffy before to this extent. Something was really bugging her, and she didn’t understand why this would be such a problem. She was helping, wasn’t she?



“Buffy! You’re being absurd! I’m just working; it’s what I do. It’s what everyone does, and what you should be doing right now instead of hassling me.”



“Don’t you dare threaten me with this job.”



“I’m not threatening, I just don’t see what you’re trying to pull here. I know you don’t like my work ethic but that’s your problem, not mine. I’m helping this company by working so many hours, I’m helping people here, and I’m just doing what’s right. There’s nothing wrong with trying to do the right thing.” She looked desperately up to the intruding blond. There was more to this problem than just her want to ‘help’ though, and she knew it. She was alone. She had nothing else. So the words started flowing out of her like a dam so long captive by the concrete walls she set up.



“Do you know what it’s like to not have anything but your job to make yourself useful in the world? Do you understand what it’s like to not have any importance to anyone outside of your employment? If so then I give you full permission to attack me some more about what I chose to do with my waste of a life. I’m not living it, so let the world use it, drain it for all I care,” Willow was shaking, she wasn’t crying, but so horribly shaken up it took a while for her to compose herself.



“Willow, you are important. But something’s up with you. I don’t know what it is, but you’ve been hiding in your office all day, and yesterday, and the day before that. You’ve been doing it for almost 3 months now. What’s the deal? It’s like something has taken control of your life and you are helpless against it. You’re not the same Willow, and now I’m afraid to know what has taken her away. Is it Tara? It’s Tara isn’t it?”



“What does Tara have to do with this?” Willow said completely caught off guard and frightened. She hadn’t told anyone what she felt about Tara, not even Buffy her normal confident.



“All I’m saying is since she got here, you’ve been avoiding the open offices for a long time. You’re always stuck in your office hiding from something out there,” Buffy said pointing towards the door. “And you’re working more everyday, why are you avoiding her?”



“I’m not avoiding anyone! Why of all people would you choose Tara as the avoided? I mean, if anything I’ve done nothing but bug her to death, I gave her all this stuff, a job, an apartment, a car--”



“YOU DID GET HER A CAR?!”



“Ai, I forgot I wasn’t supposed to tell her that,” Willow chided herself inwardly. The construction work had started up again, Buffy and Willow were barely able to hear each other, and they were less than 5 feet away.



“Buffy, all I’m trying to say is that I am doing anything but avoiding Tara, she’s always on my mind. I’m always worried about her, and I don’t ever stop thinking if she’s okay, all right?” Willow said triumphant that she had beaten Buffy at this argument at last. The yammering of the men outside had subsided for the moment.



“So it’s true then, that’s what’s up with you.” Buffy said slowly and softly.



“Buffy, Tara’s not the problem, I just told you that, I’m anything but annoyed at her, unlike a certain blond secretary whose climbing the list of most-unwanted-in-boss’-offices right now.”



“I know.”



“Well then what are you implying?” Willow said almost yelling.



“You love her,” Buffy whispered quietly.



She almost mouthed the words across to the fuming redhead. The three women stood still. Another round of hammering and drilling had started up again, and Buffy’s words were lost to the person standing in the doorway, but not to Willow.













*takes camp outside in wilderness* here i shall stay, until the kittens do not want my head on a pike ....hmmm well, all i can say is, so close to smoochies, and then BOOM we're shot back into angsty land. why? why? hmmm....is it because i'm mean? perhaps have too much time on my adolescent hands? or maybe, maybe i'm really just some wierdo who has an even better way of it happening? we'll see....and i do apologize. no backbone whatsoever when it comes to disapointing people.

Edited by: thebardgirl at: 9/27/03 10:17 pm

[bluewillowwitch]

thbardgirl ,

NOOO! You can't leave it there! You are a girl! I want to know who was in the doorway! Was it tara? Hey I feel for , I know what it is like to work that much. I work like 6 to 7 days a week 9-16 hours a day on normal days. Then there are weekends like this one were I work like 48 hours straight. It's a good thing for me and that we like our work. I want more! Please! I can be patent, (or atleast pretend to be. ) Can't wait to more. Update soon, please?





bluewillowwich

--------------------------------------------

"Fate keeps on happening."--Anita Loos

[Taras Shadow]

Elizabeth!



Hehe...can I first of all add that I find you incredibly adorable and too cute for words?



And second: A CLIFFHANGER? You don't say? I'm shocked! Hehe!



And and wow, angst-y yes. I'm simply enjoying this fic, I sat back and re-read it today. This last part though...all work and no play? awww

Quote:

---

“Well then what are you implying?” Willow said almost yelling.



“You love her,” Buffy whispered quietly.

---

A whisper but oh so powerful. Wowsers.



I shall be waiting patiently for the next update!



Thank You and Take Care!



~Holly~

"I've got this ache, and I thought it was for sex, but it's to tear everything to fucking pieces." Ginger - Ginger Snaps

[LostWithoutTara]

Wow... great update. And a very cliffhanger. It worked, 'cause now I'm desperate to know what happens next. Anxiously awaiting your next update!

Every time you walk away, I pretend that I'm okay

[Sappho]

Wow, nice stuff. I'm kinda upset because I've been so busy at college that I missed checking the kitten all day yesterday and here I missed two of your updates and a whole round of replies. Aaaaahhh!!! And to tell you the truth, I haven't been working hardly at all on my homework, I've mostly been busy with socializing. I feel like I'm completely disregarding what I should be doing in order to have more fun. Plus I've got another one of those crushes on a straight girl. She's so cute and funny and endearing and straight! Grrrr, it's not fair. Oh, bardgirl I'm sorry that I'm ranting and raving. It's at a very late, no wait, early hour. 3:09 AM actually. I love your story.

~Sappho

Willow: Yeah, that’s me. Reliable dog geyser person.

***

Anya: Give me a beer. Bartender: I.D. Anya: [Looks at him w/ disbelief] Bartender: I.D.

Anya: I’m 1,120 years old!!! Just give me a friggin’ beer! Bartender: I.D. Anya: [Sigh] Give me a Coke.

[sam darls]

Elizabeth..hey, I loved those two updates, they were so wonderful..and a cliffhanger..nooo..but buffy spoke the truth..go buffy love sammi xxx

Edited by: sam darls at: 9/28/03 4:35 am

[Grimlock72]

Well, someone obviously has to push Willow a little to get back to normal life. Surprising it's Buffy, but hey... whatever works. (I normally don't like Buffy very much).



Of course it's entirely stupid to work in an office being reconstructed. That alone shows there's something going on with Willow. Being in the computer-bizz she could easily work in another temp. office.



Not entirely sure how Tara thought staying late with Willow at the office was going to do any good. For starters she should have made Willow that she was staying with her... thats the way to get guilt-build-up . Or ask her out on a coffee-date or something, she'll HAVE to stop working 'early' then 'cos otherwise all the shops are closed :-)



Speaking of which, where does Willow get her morning-moocha's now ? For some reason I don't see her going back to the MaClay's Coffee bar : --> .



Any info on Tara's mother would also be welcome, is she alive ? If she is, where's she living ? Hopefully not with Mr. Marsmallow and his rotten habits of beating women.



About not getting to the smoochies just yet; that's okay. Really the road towards can be more fun than the end-result :-) I like looooong roads, so don't worry about your story being to longish for me. Can't possibly be too long, nope.



Interesting line this : "The three women stood still.", so poor Tara has to work close to the deafening noise of construction as well ?? Thats not fair, she has no choice Good thing is she might have heard some parts of the shouted conversation...



Grimmy

--
"You hurt Tara," Willow said too calmly. "The last one who tried that was a god. I made her regret it." -- Unexpected Consequences by Lisa of Nine

Edited by: Grimlock72 at: 9/28/03 5:14 am

[foreverpiper]

*gaps* that, missy...was evil! 100% evil genius! i dont know whether to be thrilled there was another update, or angry cause now i have to wait for the next one!!! Maybe i'll choose to be a little of both!



oh! you'll be pleased to know that last night i brought my wonderful jawbreaker upstairs, so as i was reading i was happyily sucking on the thing! BUT...can i just say, in the middle of it, i was so into the update...i...*leans in to whisper* i think i actually put it down so i was only consintrating on ONE thing! I was ered ...but this just prooves what a good fic writer you are!! this has been one of my new favorites for a while!!

Galahad: What a strange person. French Dude: I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. Galahad: Is there someone else up their we could talk to? French Dude: No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time. - Monty Python

[snuggle79]

hey devil in disguise!

Very very bad cliffhanger! Tara just came into the room at the best moment!! Awesome update!

Can't wait to read more!!!!

Oh and btw, I'm already loving the coming up "cookie" thing.

snuggle79

This is how everyday should end and start ..and all the stuff in the middle

The greatest thing you'll learn, is just to love and be loved in return.

[thebardgirl]

HEY HO! There are PEOPLE who are READING still! Whoooo.....*dances around in the wilderness where she has secluded herself to* anyone wanna join me out here? it's nice. you got your fresh out-of-the-poluted-water-trout over there, your sappy trees here, and your pine needles all right down there, for the low low price of NOTHING! hmm..... *says with heavy godfather accent* i shoulda been a vender....



bluewillowwitch-hello! oh, i can't leave it there? ah, damn. i just did. oh well, i'll make amends where i bore. oh deary, you poor thing you! don't work such hours! i command thee! by the hand of my bardyness! hmmm update i shall with TWO chapters, for you!



The Rose24-oh nonononononono, you misunderstand, i'm never tired for updating, i'm tired and weary for reading the bible for english, and also worried you'll not like the update. so never fear for that, besides, your request made me have the courage to post last night! ah, yes, well i haven't been very attentative to w and t's conversational habbits. i figured they sort of split apart since both felt the awkwardness there. silly girls.



Tara Shadow-uh....*blushes* adorable? uhh....too cute for words? hmmm...i think i'm dreaming up things now, but did you really just call me those? cause...wow....and uhh...now i'm blushing, thanks.....you re-read my fic? whoah....i didn't think it would be worth re-readingness....cool! oh! and you caught my "sweet" bit of the fic, eh? i liked writing that too; very dramatic. thank YOU! for zee kind vurds....gracias dude.



LostWithoutTara-ah yes, my first cliffhanger and i'm revelling in it, i'm sorry to say....but i'm happy you guys are taking it so well...no heads on pikes then?



Sappho-oh dear....oh dear dear dear....the "crush on the straight girl" uhh...THAT was my whole junior year in a nut shell. and it was HELL for me. so i know, i know what you're talking about. and hey, no prob bob with missing my updates, nothing to get worried about; they shall be here for you to see when you can. i hope college isn't getting you down, it's supposed to be the best bit of your school life, right? and feel free to rant and rave! i am a raver! er...uh well i like to rave...and rant....i'm an r & r type of person too.



sam darls-yea! whoo go Buffy, and her candidacy....is that a word? ah well, i don't know. i'm glad you enjoyed.



Grimlock72-Oh, you're not a buffy fan? oh, well i'm not necessarily either, but i don't not like her. i hope me placing her as the referee isn't going to bug you. and yes, i agree, willow's being stupid with the working in a reconstructed office. and i know, probably there could have been a temporary relocation, but i didn't want to go into major explanation about willow's stuborness.

and yea, Tara wasn't thinking very sharply about how she was going to corner willow either. that was more or less another reason i wanted to give to Tara to help Willow should the occasion come up. oh, and Tara's mom in this fic, as of yet, is non-existant, because i figure it's the Disney-Daughter Curse: the mothers are already deceased leaving the girl alone with her dumb dad.

"Really the road towards can be more fun than the end-result"

ahah! SOME ONE WHO AGREES WITH MEEEE! whoo to that mate, that's exactly how i feel. i'm going to try to make this story as rich as possible before i get to the smoochies.

AH! and you picked up on my "Three" women thing....good. actually i envisioned Tara's desk to be a 20 walk to Willow's office; so she has to walk over to get to the doorway in the first place. and now that you mention it, it is kinda cruel that she has to work there as well. oh grr me. bad bad me.



foreverpiper-Oooo 100%, eh? cool. i'm now the daugher of lucifer. excellent. oh good, no jawbreaker withdrawel then? fabulous. *leans in gasping* you put DOWN the jawbreaker?!! i am amazed and know not what to say. oh thanks, i'm so happy you think i'm a good writer, that just makes my day....



snuggle79-ah! so it is true, i am the daughter of lucifer. oh fabulous, does that mean i have to wear red? and get a sharp pointy fork to jab people into fire with? oh excellent. Ah! cookies are good. very good. hmmm....another hint perhaps to that? "fortune"....let's see if you can put those two together....*sigh* it's coming up in around....*counts with fingers* in the next 3 or so updates. i hope you like it, that would suck if you didn't, now that i've let you in on a little secret....







And the Goddess said: this update shall be TWO....and it was okay, perhaps good, it was undecided at the moment...i'll let you guys be the judge of it all. oh and shall i remind you of the last paragraph so you can jump right in without going, "huh?" yes, yes i shall....



Previously (ch. 12) :



“Buffy, Tara’s not the problem, I just told you that, I’m anything but annoyed at her, unlike a certain blond secretary whose climbing the list of most-unwanted-in-boss’-offices right now.”



“I know.”



“Well then what are you implying?” Willow said almost yelling.



“You love her,” Buffy whispered quietly.



She almost mouthed the words across to the fuming redhead. The three women stood still. Another round of hammering and drilling had started up again, and Buffy’s words were lost to the person standing in the doorway, but not to Willow.







Chapter 13



The redhead had barely a second to calm down and wonder where this came from, before another body had come in quickly to place some papers on her desk. It had also quickly rushed out again, for fear to erupt another argument between the two old friends. Willow had barely time to register the person’s arrival before she was out the door again.



“Tara…” Willow said suddenly recognizing the skirt that was flowing out the door of her office. Buffy was stunned as well, she didn’t expect it to happen like this, she was hoping Willow to collapse on her shoulder crying admitting her workaholism and then also telling her the juicy gossip about her wild new love interest. With popcorn. And pizza. In front a TV screen playing a crappy movie. This was not going to plan.



Before she knew what was happening Willow was walking in a beeline towards her door. Buffy grabbed her, trying to prevent a messy scene from occurring.



“Wait! Willow wait! You don’t know what she heard!”



“She heard too much!” Willow said with tears dribbling down her cheek.



“Are you seriously going to go and apologize looking like some mime with your mascara running and your eyes all puffy?” Buffy said holding the smaller girl.



“N-n-no,” Willow sobbed. She couldn’t even apologize correctly. She really wasn’t worth a thing.



“Listen to me,” Buffy said pulling her friend around to look straight at her, “I’m going to find out what she heard, okay? If anything I’ll just tell her we were talking about your insane mother, who by the way could be named Tara, she’d never know!” Buff said weakly smiling. Willow sobbed a laugh and tried to smile an accepting response.



“Great, I’ll go and find her and explain what I have to, okay? When I get back, you’re to be presentable and normal, non-crying, Willow, okay?” Willow nodded her head.



“Good, I’ll be back,” Buffy said marching off towards the fleeing girl Willow so admirably adored.





Chapter 14



Tara had decided to take the long walk to the coffee room. She didn’t exactly want to be found for a while. Did she just hear what she thought she just heard? Or perhaps it was a figment of her imagination. It probably was. One time she could have sworn she saw Big Foot on one of her dad’s horrible camping trips. It turned out to be her brother in a long brown coat. She shuddered. But this was different. She didn’t want to be too pessimistic and thus destroy any chance that her dreams could come true. But she didn’t want to rule it out either.



“Willow said that I did anything but annoyed her,” She thought, “That’s got to be worth some bonus points, right? But then again, they were shouting for a long time, and then my name comes up out of nowhere causing Willow to get even more upset,” She thought cupping cheek. The stupid construction workers had made it all but impossible for her to hear anything but her being the cause of Willow’s distress. Which is exactly what she did not want to hear.



The coffee was already cold and the morning donuts had all but old looking thing been eaten. She wouldn’t find any form of repose here, and there wasn’t any other exit except to the open offices. She was stuck here until she felt confident to go back out again. Or at least she thought she was. But when Buffy strode in, it seemed the outside had come to join her. She feared that Willow wouldn’t be far behind, but luckily it was only the blond.



“Hello Tara,” Buffy said slightly out of breath, “You know you walk fast for a not-so-tall-person.” Buffy looked worriedly at Tara’s face. She had closed up and was putting on her outward shell defending anything intrusive already. The hair was down, the eyes were closed, and the mind was shut off.



“You know, I’m so sorry for what you heard over there, you might have heard some stuff that confused you,” Buffy said carefully. She didn’t want to give Tara any more information than she had already received.



“I’m n-n-n-not c-c-confused; it’s all q-q-quite c-c-clear,” Tara gulped. So it was true. Willow hated her and she was nothing more than a nuisance. Buffy was merely trying to soften the blow, which wasn’t exactly working all that well.



“I should leave. I should just leave Willow alone; she obviously hates me. I’ve worn out my welcome here.” Tara said wiping a lone tear off her cheek. She had hoped so much that Willow would keep liking her. But as always, with everyone else in her family, she grew to hate her and now as usual, was rejecting her.



Buffy was confused by this turn of events.



“Wait, Tara, uh, what did you hear?”



“I heard enough. She…y-y-you said that I was the p-p-problem for her. That she was avoiding the r-r-rest of the b-b-building because of m-m-me,” Tara said whimpering slightly. “Jesus, if these two girls could be anymore dramatic and completely confused I’d have to become their therapist, at the same time!” Buffy thought exasperated.



“Oh, Tara, you didn’t hear it right at all. She was worried that she was uh, just uh, bugging you.” Hey, this wasn’t that far from the truth at all. And besides, it’s hard to lie on the spot.



“Bugging me?” Tara asked disbelievingly.



“Yeah, well since you’ve sort of gotten back on your feet and all with her help, she’s been wondering how she’s going to let you go without being to much an old nag to you,” Buffy said quickly. “Ha! Score one for the Buffster! Try to get yourself out of that!”



“If she was so worried about that, why didn’t she just come talk to me?” Tara asked skeptically. “Gees, these girls need hard evidence, don’t they?” Buffy thought annoyed and put out.



“Well, why didn’t you go to her earlier to bug her about her work day?” Buffy shot back. “HA! Now what?!” Buffy thought.



“How’d did you?…never mind…I see your point.”



“Yes, so you understand? Trust me Tara you do not annoy Willow, she’s anything but with the annoyance. In fact she’s unannoyable,” Buffy declared.



“I don’t understand why worrying over me would get her so upset,” Tara said logically.



“She was really freaked out finding some one her age so beaten up, Tara, and so she’s always trying to make sure you stay okay. It’s some psychodrama thing in her head or something, don’t worry it’ll wear off soon enough,” She said trying to convince Tara.



Tara seemed more or less satisfied with that answer and decided to walk back out with Buffy who wandered back to the President’s Office. But before did she turned sharply toward the smaller blond and spoke hurriedly.



“Buffy, whatever Willow thinks or believes, I would never, never want to leave her…I-I-I mean this job, I just, I don’t want her to think I don’t like her, cause I do, I really, really do. I look forward to coming here every day and miss her when I’m not at work, what I mean is, I’d never hate Willow, ever. Nor harm her. Ever,” Tara said in a quiet serious tone.



Buffy looked straight at her, seeing a familiar shine in her blue eyes and then replied, “You’ve been around her too much if you talk like that,” she said smiling.



Buffy sauntered into Willow's office happily thinking of the end result of this possible Willow and Tara meltdown. She should be a super hero or something.



“What did she say?!” Willow said racing towards Buffy.



“She didn’t hear anything you didn’t want her to hear,” Buffy said slowly, “She thought you were angry at her actually,” Buffy chuckled, but became stern and serious at the pained look on Willow’s face, “But I set her on the right track, I told her that you were afraid to let her out on her own again without being to much of an overbearing person.”



“Oh. Good. I guess.” Willow said confused with a furrowed brow.



“Be happy, she doesn’t know, and you’re still secretive gal,” Buffy said trying to regain a happy Willow. “What’s up? I told you she doesn’t know.”



“Buffy, I didn’t know either,” Willow said slowly.



“What? What do you mean? You didn’t deny it, and obviously aren’t now, I don’t get it,” Buffy said confused.



“I mean, what I mean is, I, uh…” Willow hadn’t ever admitted it before. But she knew now. She just couldn’t put it into words. She tried to but it sounded wrong, like it wasn’t supposed to be this way, as if she was told the wrong fairy tale when she was growing up and was going against happily-ever-after-doctrine.



“What? Say it Will, cause I’m drawing a blank at where there’s a problem.”



“Buffy, I’m in love with her. I love Tara,” Willow said to herself more than anyone.



There.



The damage had been done.



She said it.



There was no going back now. Once she said it, it had become a real tangible thing for anyone to grab at and turn upside down every which way to examine it. Buffy could say whatever she wanted about Willow and she had every right to completely and utterly berate her for her personal problem. When Buffy spoke up again, after the long silence, Willow held her breath.



“Good.”











ah, so farewell angelina, the bells of the storm, are being stolen by bandits, i must follow the sound....or something like that....hmm now i've got joan baez stuck in mah head. ah well, i hope you guys are pleased with this.

-elizabeth

Last night in sweet slumber I dreamed I did see my own precious jewel sat smiling by me.

And when I awakened I found it not so; my eyes like some fountain with tears overflowed.

[Washi]

Finally Willow realizes she loves Tara, and Tara knows she likes Willow a lot, really really a lot.

I'm loving Buffy here.

-------------------



"See? I've mastered this tact crap." Anya in Tears Of The Goddess by Lisa



The course of love doesn’t always run smooth, especially for the neurotic and accident-prone. ~ LadyB