Author name: Auburn
Email address: GemmaQT@hotmail.com Rating: This part PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters but the story is mine.
Feedback: If you want to leave it, I will read it.
Notes: I love being a kitten
Tara sat on the floor behind her front door, it had been hours since Willow had left and Tara already felt the loss of the vibrant redhead, it was a different kind of loss from when she lost her mother, this was like her entire right side had been ripped off and shipped to another country, her heart sank so low it felt like it was resting on her stomach.
Her sleeves had become tissues, their dampness still clinging to the delicate skin of her wrists; she had used them to wipe away the tears caused by sadness and loneliness.
Lifting her arm Tara gripped the door handle and used it too pull her aching frame to stand, she had been sat behind the door so long her muscles had begun to cease.
Making her way up the stairs instead of going straight ahead to her own room the blonde turned right opening the door to the guest room standing stood in the doorway the feeling of fresh tears streaking her face made her wipe at her cheeks with her sleeve.
Walking towards the bed Tara decided this is where she would sleep tonight. This is where she needed to be. The scent of Willow on the pillow comforted the aching in her chest. If only for a while.
Picking up a towel that had been discarded on the bed Tara folded it and opened the top drawer of the dresser, placing the towel in the drawer something caught her eye. The blonde reached over and switched on the bedside lamp to get a better view immediately identifying the object as a ring Willow wore on her left index finger she realised the redhead must have left it for her. Tara’s body shook as she sobbed.
* * * * * * * * * *
Willow looked into the coffee mug Buffy had put into her hand at the first gas station they pulled into when they got into town, now the coffee was cold and undrinkable yet she still held it.
Buffy was worried about her friend, Willow hadn’t said a word since they started driving she just sat in the back of the car occasionally looking out of the window, but mostly just staring into the mug. Xander had tried to engage the redhead in conversation but quickly gave up when he realised Willow wasn’t paying any attention at all.
Willow had thought about telling Buffy to turn around and go back. Back to Tara with her beautiful blue eyes and soft blonde hair, but she knew that within a few months her thirst for knowledge, exploration and success would surface and leave her feeling unfulfilled.
Sighing loudly the petite redhead sulked down into the seat and willed herself not to get blubbery as Xander called it. Her heart ached with the thought that she had left Tara behind, but it’s what the blonde had chose and Willow had to respect that however much she hated it.
* * * * * * * * * *
Willow sat on the end of her bed in her apartment with a crumpled piece of paper in her hand. Music from the kitchen was filtering though as Buffy sang along badly whilst she cleared away. The small blonde had taken it upon herself to stay over for the night just to make sure her friend was ok. The hurt in Willow’s eyes concerned her and she just wanted to be there if the redhead needed to talk or cuddle.
Willow smiled to herself at Buffy’s bad singing she didn’t know what she’d do without having the blonde here to liven the place up. Being in a quiet apartment would make her miss Tara all the more.
Picking up the phone beside her bed the redhead quickly put it back down again and grunted in frustration.
“It’s not like she won’t be home Will.” Buffy spoke as she stood in the doorway to the redhead’s bedroom and leaned against the frame.
“That’s what I’m afraid of, she’ll be home and answer the phone. I wanna hear her voice but I want her body to be attached to it not some piece of plastic against my ear.” The redhead tried to explain her anxiety. “What if she’s already in bed? Because I know she gets up pretty early. What if she doesn’t really want to talk to me or I upset her? What if....”
“Ok, Ok.” Buffy came and sat next to her friend, gathering her into a hug to gently calm her. “She will want to talk to you because your wonderful and she’s in that house on her own so I’m pretty sure she’ll be glad of the call. Do you think she will want to know if you got home safely?”
Willow nodded eagerly.
“Well then that can be your topic of conversation, your focus. Just tell her you got home safely that way she will know you didn’t want her to worry and the rest will come from there ok?”
Nodding her understanding Willow smiled gratefully at her best friend and once again picked up the phone. Dialling Tara’s number the redhead impatiently waiting and was just about to put the phone down when a breathy voice answered.
“Hey Tara?”
“Willow?”
“Yeah it’s me.”
“Hey sweetie how are you? Did you get home safely? Sorry it took me so long to get to the phone I was in the shower.”
The redhead’s heart skipped a beat at Tara’s use of the word ‘sweetie’ and then another at the thought of a wet, scantily clad goddess on the other end of the phone.
“Yeah the journey wasn’t to bad actually that’s what I was calling for, just to tell you I’m home and I’m ok so you wouldn’t worry. I hope it’s not to late?”
“Of course not sweetie you could call me at 3am and I’d still want to listen. Thank you for the consideration I was a little worried.”
Willow felt herself blush as the blonde lightly flirted.
“Have you been ok Tara?”
A moment’s silence filled the air as the redhead waited for an answer. When it came the blonde spoke softly.
“It is a little quiet here Will with you not being here, but I’m ok.”
Willow felt her eyes begin to fill and steadied her voice.
“I miss you Tara. I promise I will call you tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to sweetie; you will have an expensive phone bill.”
Deciding to pay the blonde back with her own light flirting to lighten the mood the redhead smiled to herself.
“You’re worth it.”
Willow was pleased with herself as she received a shy giggle form Tara.
“Goodnight Willow.”
“Goodnight Tara, dream of me.”
“I will sweetie, you dream of me too.”
The click from the other end of the phone brought a sigh from Willow. Looking around her room she shook her head and got up realising Buffy must have secured the apartment and turned off all the lights the redhead made her way to the guest room and gently knocked on the door.
“Yeah?” Buffy answered as the bedroom door pushed open.
“Best friend cuddles?” Willow asked as her head popped through the gap she had allowed herself.
Putting a book down that she was reading the small blonde pulled back the sheets and opened her arms.
“No ass pinching though.”
“Buffy that was one time.” The redhead declared innocently.
* * * * * * * * * *
Willow awoke the next day to an empty apartment, the first few moments of consciousness in a morning are blissful until reality hits and leaves you with a feeling of dread at having to face the day. Usually when the redhead awoke she would go through a routine of going to the bathroom, having breakfast, then getting ready for work. Today she just sat in her bed. Her heart screamed at her to call Tara again, but her head told her to back off a little. As beautiful as Tara was Willow highly doubted the blonde had ever had someone romantically interested in her. Part of Willow hoped that would be true the thought of Tara with someone else made her stomach churn, but part of her also wished it weren't. Tara deserved to be cared for even if it wasn’t her doing the caring.
Picking up the phone beside her bed Willow decided she’d call Buffy instead and ask if they could meet for lunch.
The petite blonde agreed and promised to call Xander to invite him along.
By 12-o clock Willow was sat in a small cafe, herself and her friends found it to be a very pleasant place and went there on a regular basis to check in with each other. The redhead found herself wishing she could invite Tara along too.
“Buff?” Xander spoke quietly whilst the redhead got up to use the bathroom.
“Yeah?”
“Does Willow seem..... is she.... a little.”
“Spit it out Xander.” The blonde interrupted.
“Since we picked Will up she’s been in a land far from here. If I assumed a little more went on with this Tara chick would I be wrong?”
Picking up her glass of juice Buffy took a sip before answering.
“First of all, don’t let Will hear you call Tara a ‘chick.’ I don’t know what went on between them but I know Willow’s really cut up about leaving Tara behind I haven't asked because I’m afraid Willow will get upset. I think that’s a conversation for a ‘DVD, tissue and ice cream night.’” The blonde referred to the method used to help each other get through a difficult period of time.
Nodding his understanding the young man quickly changed the subject when the redhead came back to the table.
Willow wasn’t stupid she knew their conversation had been about her, since they picked her up from Tara’s home 3 days ago their faces held a look of sympathy as if she had lost her pet puppy. It was endearing that they cared so much but every time Willow looked at their faces she was reminded of the hurt she felt inside.
Determined, Willow resolved that as soon as she got home she would call her boss and tell him she was ready for work.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tara drove her truck to town she was surprised when buildings, shops and busy people came into sight. It seem that she had been lost in her own thoughts for most of the time she was driving which made the journey fly by.
One arm hanging out on the window and the other on the wheel the blonde pulled into a parking lot beside the fruit shop. Getting out of her truck she walked around the vehicle and pulled the back open.
“Hey Tara, beautiful day out isn’t it?” A tall thin man greeted as he walked towards the blonde one side of his dungarees hung loosely as he walked.
“Hey jack. Yeah the sun is shining but the heat is killing me.” Tara smiled as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.
“Come on inside and I’ll make us a drink.” He instructed picking up a crate overflowing with apples.
Doing the same the blonde happily followed.
Once inside both placed the heavy crates onto the floor in the corner of the shop next to some empty baskets. Taking a seat on a stool next to the counter the blonde waited for jack to come back with the drinks.
“I heard you had a visitor a few days ago?” The young man inquired as he entered the room and handed the blonde a glass full of juice topped with ice.
“Yes, that was Willow.” Tara answered him honestly but shortly.
“Pretty thing isn’t she, she came in here with two friends a girl and a guy, told me she couldn’t wait to see you again.”
The smirk on the blonde’s face was irreplaceable as her mind recalled the night they had stayed up talking and she had revealed to Willow the guy in the fruit shop was attracted to her. Willow seemed very interested in what the blonde was saying asking a lot of questions and for specific details. Now Tara knew why.
“In fact.” The man carried on. “She said the two of you were really close she added a lot of emphasis on the word ‘really’ too.”
Deciding not to comment on the mans obvious hint for answers to his nagging questions the blonde stood from the stool still smirking.
“How about we get the rest of the order in jack? I’ve still got a couple of stops to make.”
Finished delivering jacks order Tara made her way through the town delivering what people had asked for and doing a little shopping of her own. Her time spent in the town was cherished as she watched people go about their business oblivious as the beautiful blonde watched. A few people would stop and say hi recognising the shy girl from her many trips into town.
The last stop of the day for Tara was always the cafe. The blonde cooked for herself everyday it was nice to have someone else do it for a change. The woman behind the counter always prepared the same few things which she knew Tara loved and would have it ready by the time she got there. Every time the blonde went into the cafe she noticed a woman sat in the corner nursing a coffee that was probably cold. Townsfolk gossip meant the blonde knew a little about that woman and it made her heart ache at everything she heard. Before leaving the cafe Tara gave the lady behind the counter twenty dollars to keep topping up the coffee for the woman in the corner. then made the journey home contemplating the busy town life to the one she lived in the middle of nowhere.
* * * * * * * * * *
Willow put the phone down after calling her boss he was surprised that the redhead wanted to start work so soon after her ordeal, but Willow decided she needed the distraction and plus, maybe she could stop off at Tara’s on the way back from whatever place her work would take her too next.
Smiling with that thought in her head Willow picked up the phone once more and made another call.
Tara was delighted when the phone rang. There were only two people with her number the sheriff or Willow and the sheriff hardly ever called.
“Hello?”
“Hey Tara it’s me.”
“Hey Will.” The blonde said enthusiastically whilst settling herself into bed.
“It’s almost bedtime.” The redhead stated.
“It is.” Tara agreed unsure of why Willow had said that.
“So I couldn’t go to bed before I said goodnight to you. Were you sleeping?”
“Oh.” Tara smiled understanding. “You’re cute Will no I wasn’t sleeping, but I have a bone to pick with you young lady!” She stated in a mock stern voice.
“With me? Me? What did I do?” Willow giggled.
“I believe you met Jack on your journey back home?” Tara explained the laugh she received from the other side of the phone told her Willow knew exactly what she was talking about.
“No comment.” The redhead giggled out her words.
“Right.” Tara giggled back deciding to forgive her. “Do you always intimidate people who have crushes on your friends?”
“Well no. But you’re not just my friend you’re my complicated friend.” Willow answered as if that explained everything although it only confused the blonde more.
“What’s a complicated friend?”
“It’s a friend who you want to be more than friends with but you can’t because something's making it complicated which makes them your complicated friend.”
Tara giggled at Willow’s mini-babble.
“I think I just made an ass of myself.” The redhead felt her cheeks burning and was for once glad Tara couldn’t see her.
“You didn’t. I understand what you said. So what are the rules in this complicated friendship?” Wondering what it meant to be Willow’s ‘complicated friend.’
“I’m not sure I haven't thought that far ahead.”
“Thank you for the ring Will.” The blonde decided to change the subject from the seriousness of the conversation.
Willow once again felt her cheeks burning. “Your welcome Tara. Did you have a good day?”
“I did. Did you?”
“It was ok. Still missing you though.”
“I miss you too sweetie.”
Willow Decided to end the conversation on that note before she got all emotional.
“Goodnight Tara.”
“Night Will.”
To Be Continued....
Auburn