I apologise for the amount of time it's taking for me to actually write the updates, but.... well, i've got a lot on my mind. Thank you for all your kind comments, you have no idea how happy it makes me to know there's a few people out there who enjoy reading what i write
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Part 5Willow stood in the doorway, concern and worry masking her face. The blonde she had been thinking about seconds earlier was standing in front of her with cuts and bruises covering her face. It looked as if Tara had been beaten worse than she had earlier that day. She ushered the crying girl in side and closed the door just before Tara collapsed in her arms.
Tara: I’m s-sorry…. I-I-I sh-shouldn’t have c-come here….
She wrapped her arms around the shaking blonde.
Willow: Shh, it’s okay. Come on. Let’s take a look at you.
She walked Tara into her living room and sat her down on the couch. Kneeling down in front of her, she noticed Tara immediately dropped her head and let her hair cover her face. Willow reached out towards her and Tara flinched, almost jumping out of her seat.
Willow: Hey, hey…. it’s just me.
Tara: I…. H-he….
The shaking girl couldn’t get past her stutter and Willow started to feel angry. Who had done this to her? She tried to calm herself down and reached out to Tara for a second time. Gently, she brushed the blonde hair away from the other girl’s face and tucked it behind her ear. Willow smiled.
Willow: There we go. I knew you were under there somewhere.
Tara didn’t meet Willow’s eyes and the redhead’s smile slowly faded. She realised her hand was still on the blonde’s cheek and quickly pulled it away.
Not the best time to be thinking about her like that, WillWillow stood up and fetched a cloth and a small bowl of water from the kitchen. She placed the water on the table and kneeled down in front of Tara again. Dipping the cloth into the clear liquid, she looked up at Tara and managed to smile. She lifted her hand to the blonde’s face and began to softly wipe away the blood around the cuts on her forehead.
Willow: How did this happen?
Tara began shaking her head vigorously and Willow lay a hand on her knee.
Willow: Hey, hey…. it’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it.
The shy blonde nodded slowly and Willow continued cleaning Tara up. After she had finished, she put the cloth and water to one side and sat down next to Tara. Willow turned her head to look at the other girl and spoke quietly to her.
Willow: Are you okay?
There was no response.
Willow: Tara…. Look at me.
Still nothing. Willow frowned and scooted closer to the other girl.
Willow: Please?
Finally, Tara turned towards her and lifted her head. Willow breath caught in her throat as she took in the full extent of Tara’s injuries. There was a large bruise above her left eye and above that a scratch that almost covered the length of her forehead. There were a number of abrasions across her cheeks and her right one was swollen in another bruise. A dark red stained her lips, suggesting to Willow that at some point she had been coughing up blood. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying and there was a cut at the corner of her left eye that looked sore. Willow began to raise her hand towards Tara again and jumped herself when the blonde flinched. She turned her head away again and let her hair cover her face.
Willow: Hey….
Tara lifted her head and Willow saw the tears in her eyes. The blonde’s bottom lip began to tremble and tears spilled out onto her marked cheeks. Before she could stop herself, Willow’s arms encircled the girl before her and she pulled the blonde close. Her body shook with sobs and Willow gently stroked her hair, trying to soothe her. Anger raged inside her small body and she tried to control it. Who ever had done this to Tara, they were going to be sorry when Willow found out who they were.
LaterWillow had offered to run Tara a bath and the blonde had merely nodded. She hadn’t spoken since she had arrived over two hours ago. Willow was beside herself with worry, but she didn’t want to bombard Tara with questions. It was obvious the girl had been through a lot and the last thing Willow wanted to do was make her more stressed.
The door to her room opened and Tara walked in, drying her hair with a towel. Willow glanced up and their eyes met. Tara’s hand momentarily forgot its job on her hair and lay still upon the side of her head as her eyes locked with Willow’s. Time literally stopped around them. The rest of the world blurred out and only the girl in front of them was clear. It seemed to last forever, but in reality only lasted a few seconds. Tara seemed to snap herself out of the trance first and she continued to dry her hair, dropping her gaze. Willow remained looking at her for a moment longer before moving herself into an upright position on her bed.
Willow: Are you feeling any better?
Willow had gladly borrowed Tara a pair of her pyjamas to change into and luckily enough, the fit the blonde perfectly.
Tara nodded in response to Willow’s question and began brushing her hair. She winced in pain as she lifted her arm and Willow got to her feet.
Willow: Here…. Let me.
The blonde handed the brush to Willow and sat down on the edge of the bed. Willow sat back down next to her and began to comb the brush through the girl’s blonde locks. She wanted so much to find out who had beaten the girl next to her and beat them to death with a baseball bat, but refrained from asking questions. She knew Tara probably didn’t need that right now.
Willow: There you go.
She put the brush to one side and turned to Tara.
Willow: Do you want anything? Food? A drink? Anything?
Tara smiled slightly and shook her head. Willow frowned and rubbed her forehead, thinking.
Willow: Are you sure? I can make you something. Do you want pizza or-or chocolate? Chocolate’s good. Um, no, what am I saying, you probably don’t want any of those. Cherries? I usually eat cherries when I’m…. um…. Do you need to call anyone? To let them know where you are?
Tara shook her head and chuckled softly. She found the redhead’s babble unbelievably endearing.
Willow: Oh! Ice cream! I have ice cream! Do you want ice cream? No…. probably not.
Willow ran her fingers through her hair and smiled, slightly embarrassed.
Willow: Sorry…. I’m babbling. Do you want to lie down or something? I mean, it is ten o’clock. Are you tired?
The blonde nodded slowly and stifled a yawn.
Willow: Okay. Um, you- you can take the bed if you want. I’ll, I can sleep on the floor.
Before Tara had chance to reply, Willow got up and left the room. She returned moments later with some blankets and a pillow for herself. She laid them on the floor beside the bed and stood to face Tara.
Willow: I um, if-if you need anything…. Just ask.
Tara nodded again and pulled the covers off of the bed. She clambered to the top end and carefully lay her body down on its side, pulling the covers back over herself. Willow managed to tear her gaze away from the blonde and say lay down on the floor, inside her blankets.
Willow: Goodnight.
She didn’t get a reply. Tara was asleep before her head hit the pillow.
1amWillow awoke from slumber suddenly and it took a second or two for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. It was only minutes after she woke, did she notice movement in the bed next to her. Slowly, she threw the covers off herself and stood up. Willow gasped when she saw Tara thrashing about in her bed, a pained look on her face. Without thinking twice, she immediately climbed onto the bed beside Tara and took the hysterical blonde into her arms. Her voice became panicked and terror filled.
Willow: Tara?! Wake up! Please, Tara.
The other girl’s eyes flew open and she looked at Willow, confused. Without warning, she began sobbing uncontrollably and buried her head in Willow’s chest. The redhead began rocking back and forth, cradling Tara.
Willow: Shh…. It’s okay, it’s okay. Shh….
She gently started to stroke the blonde hair in front of her and continued to whisper soothingly to the other girl, trying to calm her. Eventually the sobs faded and Willow felt Tara relax. Tara lifted her head and Willow found herself looking into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. She couldn’t remember how to talk, how to think. The room around her blurred away and all she could see was the beauty before her. Her hand had dropped to the base of Tara’s neck when the girl had lifted her head and she slowly brought it around to the side of the girl’s face, wiping away a stray tear. She left her hand there, cupping Tara cheek, while she looked at her. She was so close, only inches apart, it would be so easy just to close the gap between them and….
Radio: It’s just after one o’clock, I’m Jason Clark and this is Late Night Love. The place where you can call in with love problems, to reveal your secret crush, or just give advice.
Willow and Tara both jumped as the sound of the radio filled the room. Willow cursed her “self-altering” alarm clock and made a mental note to remind her to tell her mother to buy her a new one. She leaned over and turned the volume down, then began to climb off of the bed when she felt a hand on her arm. Willow turned her head to find Tara looking at her. A hundred emotions shinning behind her eyes.
Tara: Willow….
Willow swallowed hard and tried to remember how to speak. When she did, her voice became husky and was but a whisper.
Willow: Yes?
Tara: Will…. W-will you stay w-with me…. Hold me?
The redhead could do nothing but nod. She climbed under the covers alongside Tara and let out a shaky breath as the taller girl laid her head on her chest and wrapped an arm around her middle. Gradually, Willow’s arms encircled the blonde and she heard Tara sigh. The faint sound of the radio in the background was all that could be heard.
Lying here beside you
I feel my heart begin to race
Can you hear it beating?
Can you see the flush upon my face?
Do you know
Just what you do to me?
That the world spins and blurs
And it’s only you I see?
I know I’m falling
It’s no use stalling
These feelings inside
Are too strong to hideWillow closed her eyes and listened to the song words that mirrored her feelings perfectly.
My breathing’s heavy
Ragged and swift
I close my eyes
And begin to drift
Across the sea
As blue as your eyes
That twinkle like stars
Lit in heaven’s skies
I know I’m falling
It’s no use stalling
These feelings inside
Are too strong to hide
Can I tell you how I feel?
Would you run? Or hang around?
Cause if I speak, from my heart
I’m scared I’ll lose, the love I’ve foundFor the first time in years, Tara closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.
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Questions? Comments?
Edited by: Ginner WTluv at: 6/27/02 10:07:44 am
by willntlover » Tue Jun 25, 2002 8:38 pm 
at: 6/26/02 2:49:35 pm
**WHINES** Ginner, will you post it again? Please? 
