Sorry for the delay y'all. Replies and then update - thanks to everyone who is reading, and for the well wishes when I was ill!
DreamLover :) Sorry that you think I'm evil, and of course for the slow pace but I promise I'll try to make it pay off. (Cross my heart and everything!) Willow is indeed getting brave with the touching, and that should go on all week. Tara will have some interesting reactions to the touches, hopefully more positive than negative. Tara probably does have a wild side, she has quite a bit of pent up energy to let out! Hope you enjoy this next update and thanks Henny!
BFR from Paris Yeah, I definitely wanted to start giving them breaks, and 'in their world' is an apt description of the general feel of this week. When it's just them, magic; when the outside world butts in... return o' the angst. Tara does still think Willow loves Xander, and I'm afraid that one's not going away anytime soon. Anya is going to be... interesting. Thanks so much Christine, hope you had a very merry Christmas.
hermitfish So glad you like 'slightly more confident and relaxed' Willow! Thanks very much for your kind words re: the interactions; nothing major, but major at the same time. Funny how sometimes even small conversations and silly things can mean so much. I like your "try both" and think they'll take it heart (whether they know it or not!). Thanks Cyd!
WillowWise So glad you loved the update, and especially the smooth maneuver. Gotta love a little arm-in-arm action on a cold, almost-rainy night. Thanks Aly!
ker shmuckit So glad you're liking this and it wouldn't really be an Anya moment if she didn't somehow mix things up a bit. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading.
hidden watson Warm chocolatey feeling sounds divine, I'm so tickled that this last one inspired that feeling. The little things are so key, and the ones you mentioned are among my favorites. :) So happy you liked the laundromat scene. Willow definitely seems like the type who would write in a window's condensation and think nothing of it, and having Tara be amazed by it... seemed like a good fit. Glad you enjoyed their first day together, hope you'll enjoy the rest as well! Thanks.
Marilda Yay, just in time for this next couple of updates *bites nails nervously* Seriously though, welcome back. :) So glad you liked brave Willow and thanks so very much for the very kind words.
WillowRox Welcome lurker, and thanks so much for the very kind words. I think Tara's mom's jewelry is lost to the ages (as can happen when pawned or auctioned off sometimes) but that does make for a beautiful scenario. Thanks Shirley!
meretricious Haha wow, um, thank goodness for police sirens? :) Willow definitely should consider some if/then statements! The 'badly' line - of course I was using the Run-DMC definition, "not bad meaning bad but bad meaning good!" ;) Only one Xander thought this last time, but sadly that restraint won't last (as the next couple of updates will show). When Tara does find out about Xander's true role in all this, it is definitely going to be a major mind blow. Both of these ladies are going to have a lot to deal with after the big reveal, for sure. Thanks re: the coffee trek. I wanted to have Willow share with Tara that she knows more about her than perhaps Tara thinks (Tara singing), but still hold on to canon-Tara's shy nature (with the not singing). After all, I think it would have taken some sort of demon to make Tara sing on the show (oh, wait...). Haha I do judge people on their playlists, because I am a horrible, shallow human being! :) Matthew Ryan is an excellent choice and I am amazed sometimes how well my iPod mixes music (that Thermals to Old 97s mix sounds interesting), especially considering the number of different genres it has to deal with! Thanks so much Mary, as always.
starcat73 Aw, yay for romance! So glad you liked brave Willow and of course, for her ridiculous 'slight touch to makeout session' thoughts! There are definitely some bumps they need to overcome, but no 'impact'... at least, not for a while yet. So glad you liked the update, and thanks for the numerous emoticons! :)
snuggle79 "I'd willing to stay up till 2 or 3 or 4 am in the morning as well to see and to talk to Tara again" - hehe, me too. Very glad that you liked brave Willow, and I hope your 'be brave be brave' mission went well! :) Many more little flirts on the way, I hope you enjoy and thanks!
desertgrl *blush* Thanks so much for your very kind words, and I think your kids are right, you rock! I thought you'd like that 'fifth grade boy' comment. ;) Hilarious story! Kids say the darndest things - too bad we can't say what floats through our minds in return! Thanks so much, for the kind words, laugh and the well wishes about my dad.
LizPuRR Yay - glad you loved the update and they are definitely getting closer. Thanks!
veiled isis moon Haha well I'm glad I could oblige with that update then! Sorry about the slight delay in getting this one up, was a little under the weather after traveling. Glad you liked the 'I heart SF' part - seemed a Willowy thing to do. Brave touching does mean slowly getting there, even if there is some confusion on the way and yay for Anya! She should be good for a er, good laugh or two. Thanks!
littlecrazy80 So glad you liked 'be brave, be brave'! Thanks!
WillowPowered :) Thanks, so glad you liked the salt-to-babies line! Thanks Jill!
Tempest Duer Willow is definitely starting to be brave, and you're right, definitely paying off. The Anya visit is going to be interesting; not quite embarrassing them into admitting their feelings, but definitely embarrassing them into admitting some thoughts. Thanks!
sam darls Very happy you liked 'be brave' and thanks very much for the thoughts about my dad sam.
serendipitous :) So glad you liked the ending; I could see Willow playing that game of '15 minutes and if she doesn't show, I'll go to bed'. 45 minutes later she's still fighting off sleep. '15 more minutes...' :) Willow definitely is preparing herself to tell Tara her feelings, even if it's not a fully conscious thought. Willow's mom will definitely be in SF on Sat - promise. Thanks very much!
feyndem 'Be brave' seems to be a hit! :) Tara's surprised/amused face is pretty cute, love having Willow do the unexpected, and you're right, Tara does feel like a little kid when she discovers something new about our favorite redhead. Definitely a couply kind of walk, and hopefully you enjoy the next update. Thanks Marcos!
Traveler4069 Yep a warm and fuzzy update, and both are getting braver, and closer. :) Yay! Thanks!
behindhereyes I hope the remembrances are good ones. There's something really magical about that stage when touches are all you have, that sort of, pseudo-relationship stage. Kind of innocent and exciting, and I'm really enjoying writing it. Looking forward to a lot more of that as they get closer to the big reveal. Thanks so much Kim. :)
Wired vixen Yay for 'she's brave!' Haha, thanks Stace.
JustSkipIt Very much looking forward to this Bellwether book! Thanks very much re: the last update. They definitely are turning a new leaf, where it's less of, 'does she like me' and more 'how much does she like me'. That should be the general question of the week for both girls, each having to deal with their own baggage along the way, of course. It's most likely going to be a trickier question for Tara to deal with, considering it's a 'get my hope up or not' question, whereas Willow can only see promise with each passing day. Glad you liked the window writing, and really hope you had a fun week with the little one at the in-laws. :) Thanks!
Dexter23 Thanks - so glad you enjoyed the cuteness of them together. Not a computer person, not an artist... just observant. Thanks very much Hannah - hope you enjoy this next one!
WickedReds Double pinning is indeed good stuff. :) So glad you enjoyed the 'lust as part of love' and of course for the major flirtage when out getting coffee. Thanks reds!
She Bopp Thanks re: the 'brave like Tara' line. :) I really liked the idea of Willow taking strength from her friendship with Tara; I think it was something that most of us loved from canon. The idea that Willow was great on her own, strong and brave but being with Tara gave her this added dimension of strength, a confidence that helped her push though self-doubt. It's something that I think will serve this Willow very well when it comes time to come out to her mom and Buffy. You're right, their interactions aren't completely natural for Willow yet, but it's getting there. Thanks very much for reading danielle!
WillowRTaraM1 Aw, I hope they were happy tears. Thanks so very much for the kind words Jackie!
FunGirl Haha now I have the Speed Racer song stuck in my head! :) I think Willow's going to be oddly energized haha, and yes definitely, no more waiting once Shelia arrives. Glad you liked the open mic night/performance artist guy; that always seems to happen to me when I happen upon those events. Thanks so much, and Go! Brave Willow! :)
VixenyTarasHot Aw shucks. Thanks! Tara does want to make love to Willow everyday, and there should be plenty o' time for that once Willow comes out. ;) Glad you liked the snuggling/heartbeat, something about that image really stuck with me, seemed very them. Holding of hands would be a bit much, but at least Willow is allowing herself normal 'friend' touches. That can only lead to 'friendlier' touches. I think you're right, that Tara was okay with Willow asking about Donnie, because it was Willow. The idea that Willow wanted to know, and that Tara felt like it was okay to share that part of herself with Willow was reassuring to her for sure. As for the open mic night - I can't tell you how many times I've had to bite back a laugh when someone went nuts on stage; very difficult thing to do! ;) Willow staying up was very Willow I thought, a sort of passive aggressive chance to spend even a second more with Tara. Tara will know, eventually of course, that Willow was staying up for her, and what a trip that will be. Thanks so much Ashleigh!
Artemis Yay for start-to-finish sweetness. :) I really wanted to give them sometime to just be (after a lengthy think-a-thon, of course). Willow's analyzing covered a spectrum of things, I think most importantly that she realizes Tara does want her around and (subconscioiusly) that she is drawing strength from that. I think a lot of this week, how their relationship progresses is going to come down to Willow testing her bravery, and Tara responding to it. As for the drawing in the mist... I think Tara's brain was too overloaded by the cuteness to actually say that is was in fact cute! :) She needed some prompting. At least now they can joke about how 'adorable' the other is, which allows them perhaps to say some home truths with a bit of a buffer. The deal with Tara and Donnie... I've seen people fight over wills a lot, and it seemed to be a natural fit for this Tara and her progression from shy, inward looking girl to strong, confident artist; executorship does give some people a certain strength, and the in-fighting that goes on about wills is often times involves very specific form of verbal and emotional abuse (my attempt to keep the relationship between Tara and the Maclay men canon-like perhaps). You're definitely right, having Willow there for her is a huge thing for Tara, and snuggling would be excellent! Thanks re: Buffy - I wanted to try and shed some light on both girl's friendships with her, glad you thought it worked! Also glad that you liked Tara's tease about the phone - that sounded like Tara in my head. The Willow-overhears-singing; I thought that would be a good chance to show to Tara that Willow might be more in-tune (bad pun) with her than she thinks. Perhaps some one-on-one singing in the future. Radiophonic Oddity... see, that's the danger of not having a beta haha because as many of you have noticed, I also called him Radioactive Oddity. I meant the first, but it seems people also like the latter so... let's just go with both and pretend I meant to do it haha. Esh... Willow staying up, had to do it, and Anya is going to be very interesting indeed. Re: your words about them just wanting to be together, your words were spot on. That's it exactly. They want the sweetness, the hotness, the annoyingness - they want everything if it means that they're together. Re: Willow's touch-to-kiss thoughts, seemed like her to spin something so innocent out of control. They're definitely becoming friends, closer every day and that should help a lot when the coming out comes to pass. Thanks Chris, hope you had a merry merry yourself!
Sassette *big fat blush* Thanks! Your words re: them seeming more like friends than fictional characters - I think you have yourself (and others, like JustSkipIt, Triscuit7, lipkandy, etc, etc I could go on forever) to thank for that; so many wonderful depictions of W&T on this board, I do feel like I know them, or at least, have seen a lot of different sides of them over the years. It is a lot of fun to figure out what they're going to do in each update, how things will play out; I feel a bit like a voyeur! Thanks so much, really means a lot (and just because I have to - d'oheth about the working from home all the time!). :)
iheartamber Thanks so much - I wish I could update more as well! It's definitely frustrating to have a story to tell, but not the time in which to tell it. Thanks for the encouragement re: painting, drawing etc but truly, I have no manual dexterity. :) I'll just channel it all into the writing (at least I can type fairly well haha). Glad you liked the 'I'm coming bed'... I think that a lot after a long day. Glad you like the adorableness of them, but sadly still a while to go before the big reveal - hopefully you'll enjoy them getting closer though as they spend their week together. Thanks!
Truck driving magic mama Thanks - so glad you liked. Big belly laughs about your fascination with their apartments more... sex friendly, areas. I'm sure the girls will put most to work haha. Yay for Brave Willow indeed, and so glad you liked Tara's musing about what everyday life with Willow would be like if they got together. The coffee shop - I wanted to show that they were at the stage where they're relaxing enough to get giggly and performance artist man definitely helps with that. Both are thinking babies haha, funny how that happens and of course, the infamous Willow mind going from A-to-Z in 2 seconds flat. :) Thanks so much Melissa!
babyblue Thanks so much! I hope you had a wonderful holiday vacation!
Willster Glad I could help with that Monday grumpiness with the last update! Willow is indeed getting braver and braver and yup, there will be some coming out when Shelia shows for sure. Thanks!
alysagoddess85 Thanks so much, truly!
Irishgrl3 *jealous about your beach vacation!* :) I'm glad you liked the bit about Tara reading into the lyrics on Willow's CD (I think it's impossible not to do that!), and of course, Willow venturing into Tara's studio. Tara talking about her work; I think was an important step for both, reciprocity in a way for Willow sharing about her work, and a revelation about how much Tara trusts Willow (re: the painting titles). The Red Balloon - I think I first saw that film in school as well, always stuck with me! The conversation re: their eye colors was indeed a daring step, and I'm so glad you like their more comfortable conversations, even if it is inspiring you to want to scream 'kiss already' haha! I'm glad you like the thought chapters; I need those sometimes to kind of, touch base and see where things are going. This fic covers such a short time period, even though it's taking forever for me to write, so I wanted to take a moment and show that they're a bit confused/heartened by what's happening. Willow had been shying away from the touch, but hopefully that's over now! Thanks re: the growing old comments and the cafe - glad that was a chuckles worthy scene! Thanks so much anna, and for your words about my dad.
wimpy0729 Wow. You know... I can't even tell you what your words mean to me. It's just so amazing and weird and wonderful that the emotions are getting through. This story makes me feel, so much; I see it in my head and try with each update to capture the goings-ons as well as I can. Sometimes I feel I'm more successful than others, but I think a constant is that the focus is always on W&T's emotions. The plot is secondary. The little moments; there to illuminate how they feel. Everything is about how they feel, and to know that's resonating with you just makes me so, so very happy. Thanks so much.
Kajun *blush* Thanks so much. I'm really glad you liked the mirrored thoughts; they're moving in the same direction, just from different angles. Willow realizing that Tara trusts her is huge, and inspires a lot of confidence in her. The touches; Willow has been afraid of her revealing her desires for so long, but as the coming out is getting closer and it appears Tara does like having her around, she's getting brave. Willow is indeed going to flip when she discovers the origins of 'Confusing'. Glad you liked Tara's musings on Willow, from the 'ear to heart' to always knowing she would see her as she was now. The paintings Tara creates this week are going to be very emotionally charged; parting with them for the LA show is going to be very hard. The cool weather is definitely providing a lot of opportunities for the girls, from semi-hibernation to snuggy-time. Tara's family situation... I wanted to show something that would cause her to feel isolated and disregarded, without getting into physical abuse. Her maturity is directly related to how she's had to deal with her family, Jill, etc. So jealous that you have the Amber CD! :) Glad you liked Willow's laundromat stunt and of course, the staying up late. Thanks so much; hope you had a happy holiday as well.
terra21 Thanks so much! I'm glad you thought the thought processes were true to the characters. Willow-think is a perfect description of her; she needs to get an okay from her brain to do anything (the risky maneuver). Tara on the other hand is all emotion right now (and feel). She doesn't want to think about Willow being straight or Xander, she just wants to enjoy how Willow makes her feel. Of course, that can be dangerous. I think a lot of what Tara does (like hanging the 'Confusing' painting) she does without considering how meaningful it is. Again, perhaps a little danger there. Pulling away from crushes; it's such a giddy, heady feeling, living a crush. Especially now that they're daring more and more. So glad you liked ear-to-heart; that image seemed to fit that song. You're right that the getting-to-know-you process is life long, but that these moments will have a special place in their minds after the reveal, when they realize just what they were doing; opening up, getting closer, preparing themselves for a life together. Willow baiting with the 'adorable' question was huge, it removed a wall between them, let them have yet another area that they could joke and tease about. 'Finished downstairs' - I actually wrote that innocently, and then when it came time to write Tara's reply, realized the double entendre and went with it haha. Seemed to fit. :) Thank you very much for the awesome insight and hope you enjoy the next update! Thanks!
astrangerhere Wow, thank you so much. Color is really important to me, it's something I notice often, and it would definitely feel weird to not mention it (especially since color can reflect a mood or emotion well). You know, I hadn't realized the parallel between Tara's oil painting layers and this story, but I think it's a really good analogy. I'm definitely not stretching this sucker out to tease; I think you guys would be able to tell if I was (and quite frankly, I don't think I'm skilled enough as a writer to pull that off haha). Each update seems important when I write it, reveals something new about each character and how they're coming together. I love stories with layers, a peek at something new; that's real-life. The more time you spend with someone, the more you learn (the most rewarding part of a deepening friendship, I think). Wow, again, thanks so much. Very cool ash!
Reallybigpineapple Thanks so much - I write until it feels like time to stop, and it just so happens that the last few have demanded a bit more than usual. I'm very glad you like the 'everyday life' scenes - it very much so is just them living their lives, getting closer. I'm glad it's like a warm blankey for you! Yay for Les Savy Fav! I'm so pleased that you like them! They're not for everyone, but I love them. Sieglinde in Die Walküre, huh... *blink, blink blink*. :) Thanks so much!
Willow18 Before I reply, everyone, if you haven't already, please check out Willow18's beautiful paintings,
here. Really wonderful job, loved them! Glad you liked the last update, especially the background. I wanted to start to show that Willow is close to her parents without having to say 'Willow loves her parents', and also to get a hint at how much Tara's gone through over the years. Arm-in-arm; such a simple touch but huge for them both. The ear-to-heart snuggling... I really loved that image, glad you liked it too and totally agree, would have been great to have seen that on the show. The 'I heart SF' - I like to think of Willow as spontaneous, someone who isn't aware just exactly how cute she is; that seemed like a good way to show her nonchalance with both. Tara thanking Willow for the coffee... had to do it. Anya is definitely going to embarrass them, in a way only Anya can. Hopefully it'll lead to a step forward, instead of a step backward. Again, totally loved your paintings. Very talented! Thanks so much for sharing!
Grimlock72 Brave Willow really is brave because you're right, she really has no idea what she's getting herself into. She suspects Tara likes her enough to be able to get away with what she's doing, but as she begins to test those boundaries... Re: the years - a lot of that is confusion, distance and of course, fear. Fear is a powerful motivator. Correct conclusions for Willow this time, a benefit of not having outside interference for the last few days, perhaps. Will executions in the U.S. can take years to resolve; once someone contests the executorship or the will itself and the courts get involved... it really can turn into a messy situation fast. You're spot on re: why Tara's mom did what she did, and more on that later. Over here, if Tara's mom hadn't had a will, everything would have gone to Tara's dad; but with the will, the assets were divided. :) I assume the rings and pendant have been dispersed, as sadly so many things are when pawned/auctioned off, never to be seen again. It is good Tara trusts Willow to talk about it, she'll definitely take the girl up on her offer later on, I'm sure. Willow surely felt mortified as soon as she mentioned Donnie, but it all worked out in the end! Glad you adored the image of them walking along - Willow's starting to get the enjoying part, I think by the time they left the laundromat she was relaxing. And yup - 'better than insane' is an excellent sign that Willow's chilling out. Thanks Grimmy!
Spikeizmine87 Thanks so much!
luv4willtara Welcome lurker! Yay for registering - I hope you have a great time here on the board, so many awesome stories. Thanks very much for your very kind words and glad you loved the 'pass the salt' line. Thanks Katie - hope you like the next update!
onlyhalfevil Hmm... I'm not sure Willow's seen any evidence of special treatment (beyond the sharing the naming of the paintings); that should change a bit as the week goes on. I think re: your point about the closer you get, the harder it is to have a relationship... maybe, harder to initiate a relationship, in some cases. For them, this closeness should serve as a great basis for their nascent romantic relationship. :) Willow sure did stumble into being special with asking about Donnie; here she was worrying when Tara was swooning! So glad you liked the laundromat and the end... just a way to end an update haha. Thanks!
xenamungrr Thanks so much, the humor is key I think as they start to relax. Hope you enjoy the next update!
WillowSpiritus Very glad you liked brave Willow and Tara hanging up 'confusing'; one was well-planned, and the other just a whim (shows a difference in how they're handling things, I think). Willow is definitely prep girl, while Tara is hindsight woman. Tara almost calling Willow cute... too bad her brain was frozen by the cuteness! Thanks so much!
glendaofoz2004 *big honkin' blush* Thanks so much, I really enjoy the little details, and I'm glad you like them so much! Thanks!
illusivekae Thanks so much - probably not a good idea to revel in the angst-freeness, as there is some angst coming (not a crash, but a bump to be sure). Thanks so much for your wonderfully kind compliments; I'm not sure about 'literature' but wow, just thanks so much. Tara thinking about Willow aging... that's love, you know? Real, life-long, there-for-everything love, and I wanted to try and show that it wasn't just infatuation, lust or love-because-Willow-does-sweet-things. Very glad you liked the laundromat scene. I always think of Willow as being spontaneously cute, unaware of how adorable she is and having that simple effect on Tara... the essence of their budding relationship. They continue to surprise each other in really subtle ways. Thanks re: the not kissing - I agree it would complicate things horribly, and 'incredibly awkward' - I think could even be an understatement! I'd like their first kiss to follow complete emotional disclosure, but we'll see. I think after they do get together, they're going to have a lot of discussions that center around the theme 'I wanted to kiss you so much at the gallery/laundromat/stairs', etc, etc. Glad you liked the parallel thoughts about teasing/flirting. Thanks Erin!
tarawhipped Thanks so much! You know, I tend to worry about the ones where 'nothing major happens', so, so glad you enjoyed! Thanks re: Willow's thought process. You're right, she does start out with the ordered approach, only to quickly tangent off on occasion. Willow's conclusions were what Xander told her before, and you're right, sometimes people just need to figure matters of the heart out on their own. It's one thing to think, 'Tara will trust me if I do this', and 'Tara trusts me because I did this' (or something comparable). Thanks very much re: Tara's backstory. One thing that I liked about canon-Tara is that she grew from the abused, shy girl into someone very mature and confident; I wanted my Tara to have a similar journey, but maybe more subtle? She's not a demon, hasn't been told she was evil but she probably felt very isolated by her family's lack of concern about her feelings, and I imagine that relations with her brother tend to be on the emotionally abusive side. Anyone who has had to deal with lawyers and wills at a young age knows how fast it can age you. : And yay for the talent show! I love, love, love that scene, and thought it would be something Willow might share as she opened up about who she was and is. Thanks so much Cam!
numbered words Aw shucks - thanks so much, so glad the story makes you smile. I like that you and Ashleigh read together, I think I've mentioned before but it reminds me of some very happy times. Blown away that y'all talk about it, makes me happy haha. Thanks Kristyn, truly.
Ze Goose Nah, definitely not bad, as you're here now! Thanks very much for the list, all words that are very much appreciated. Haha they should get together already... but still a ways to go. Thanks so much, hope you enjoy the update!
Rhiannon9891 *big blush* Thanks so much Rhiannon, and go brave Willow go indeed! :)
YMKA *blink, blink blink* Wow, that's a long story! So glad you liked getting into their heads, and the mirrored thoughts. Glad you got a laugh out of the 'salt to babies' line and Willow's conclusions about the direction her friendship with Tara is going in. Promoting some smut again? Haha, Willow sure does have an active imagination, I'll give you that... Willow acknowledging that Tara wants her, even in a friendly way, was quite the boost, and both girls are thinking of each other... just on slightly different levels haha. Willow made the most of the trip to the coffee shop, for sure, with the arm-in-arm and leaving the phone behind. So glad you liked the laundromat window and Anya... it's going to be interesting. Little bit more about the park, and glad you liked those songs! Thanks Marina!
Nicole023 Thanks so much Nicole, truly.
pipsberg No worries about the 'late' feedback haha - you beat the update by a mile, that's good enough for me! ;) Bike tumbles are bad, might I suggest training wheels? ;) Thanks very much for the kind words about the update; Brave!Willow action figure definitely has the arm-in-arm action, haha. They're slowly but surely becoming more comfortable around each other, it's a bit of a process, but should be fun to see how they handle it as the week goes on. You're so right about Tara's angst re: when something happens between them; there's going to be a lot of questioning, doubt and wonderment (not wondermint, though, that's gum). As they get closer and grow more bold with the touching, that line between 'just friends' and 'something more' is going to blur. Poor Tara! Should make for an interesting week for them. Sorry this update took to long, but then, you knew that. Hope you enjoy it, and thanks as always pips!
fun in dysfuntion Thanks teddy - I happen to think small moments can hold a lot more romantic meaning than big gestures with flowers and chocolate (although, I do like those too). The CD mix does indeed remotely speak for Willow, although how Tara interprets those words is another thing altogether. The fact that they could share those two poems was big for them, a great bridge to show them that they're more similar than they can sometimes think. Haha re: the Muddy Waters - it seems like everytime I go to a coffee shop there's some poor person doing something their mama should have told them never to do. Thanks again!
Tibbs Good lord, one sitting?! Hope you took frequent stretch breaks. ;) First, thanks very much for the thoughts about my dad, means a lot. Second, yeah, it is hard to get with a long story with no end in sight. Sorry. : Xander issue is going to take a good long while to resolve; so sorry, but it's very necessary, I promise. Thanks Tibbs.
singgirl No worries at all Bev, I'm the one that should be apologizing about the lack of updates (damn crazy real life).
WillowSpiritus Hey, I really hope you had a wonderful vacation and that you enjoy the update. Thanks.
XxLittlePileOcracKersxX Yeah, that's pretty much it. The whole idea behind writing this was to create something I wanted to read while I waited for others to update. Thanks so much Julia.
thebardgirl You, are, ca-razy! But I love it. Before I continue, if you guys haven't seen Elizabeth's awesome drawings in Cam's thread, you should definitely check them out - really incredible. Thank you so much for all your incredible words; I'm blushing like a damn fool! And thank you also for the kind thoughts about my dad - really means a lot, thanks.
My Always Thanks so much LR, hope you enjoy the update!
TromDeGrey Thanks so much my friend. :)
toasterovnofdoom Thanks so much - little bit to go (okay, a lotta bit to go) before we have Willow and Tara togetherness, but hopefully you'll enjoy the interim. Thanks.
WillowRulez Thanks, both for your kind words and the thoughts about my dad.
angel of salvation Thanks so much; glad you're enjoying, especially the connection to the music (which has been fun to play with). Baby steps indeed - thanks Jess.
visual fallacy Oooo big hefty dissertation. Eeek! Well hopefully this story was a good break, even if it was exhausting to read all the way through. Thanks very much for the kind words, I'm so glad you're enjoying the slow pace, and them getting to know each other. Thanks!
NS Maestro Haha, well I hope you eventually got some sleep! Thanks.
slinkyspooned *big fat massive blush* Thanks so much, and so glad you decided to give it a go, but gosh, I hope I didn't really keep you up that late! Thanks again, and for the thoughts about my dad Kiz.
WitchFu Sorry Mary, I should have posted something, I just didn't want to tease and say 'I'm working on something' when I wasn't. Just a really, really full plate lately. Thanks so much for asking about my dad, I think the best answer is he's hanging in there. Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy the update.
TemperedCynic Thanks so much Mike. :)
galerina Thanks so much Em, hopefully I'll finish before the world ends *knocks on wood*
lipkandy :) Aw, you post feedback and I'll make time to reply haha. It's really fun to see the story through so many different people's eyes; it's an honor to sit down and write replies, for sure. Glad you liked the tone and you're right, the internal obstacles are right on par with the externals; taking someone's hand, or going that extra step when you're unsure about their reaction is damn hard! " I want to mention something else I've noticed about the tone recently, but I'm afraid it's too psychoanalytical and I'd rather you not second guess yourself." Well now you have to (ez message me haha). And I'm telling you, sometimes I feel like I'll never finish either haha. (But I will, I swear!) Thanks so much melissa, great hearing from you.
sacinema Thanks so much.
isfreaky Thanks so much for the well wishes and for the kind words (although no need to worship, really haha).
anyone somewhere I think I'd have to agree with you; the real time, or even the hyper-slow time has definitely helped understand why they're making the choices they're making. Thanks Rachel.
Alright, enough lollygaggin' - on to the update!
Edited by: EasierSaid at: 1/25/05 3:13 pm
by WillowSpiritus » Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:00 am 
So this leaves me with nothing more to say then enjoy new years eve and stay safe. Fireworks kinda frighten me so i will be safely watching from inside. Take care and i am hoping for more then one update when i get back online. 
Bye
my fuzzum bounces for you. Good work, btw *smiles*
and 
to FINALLY get together! It will definitely be happy tears for me when it happens. 
So, bring on the updates!!
)scary pictures in the gay section. It's just not right! 
Oh and the checking of this thread like allllllllllll the time and how brilliant this fic is and with the whole 'world with no sunshine' bit when there's no updates and.....but not so much with the nervousness or embarrasment when the rambling starts without the breathing cos that's pretty much just down to me being.....yon know....insane...
.
omg i love your fic. need updates!!!!!!! please get them together soon, i cant stand it anymore. need some happy willow-tara togetherness 
im going to sit here refreshing the computer every few minutes waiting for an update. but ill wait forever, so whenever ur done. but please hurry
at: 1/4/05 7:20 pm
Hi again.
I think I may even worship u for your writing abilty
... Drink/eat lots of healthy chicken soup, I'm told it helps. Taking long hot showers helps too, but might get some roommates upset 
).
