DINNER TIME   BY   KINETIC-KID     Rating:                 R   Disclaimer:         Definitely no money being made.  All characters belong to Joss Whedon and ME.  I own nothing except whatever characters I may make up for this story.   Distribution:       Oh yeah, anywhere, anytime.  Just make sure I get credit and let me know where it is.    Spoilers:              What is left to be spoiled?  If you haven’t seen BTVS – you need to crawl out from whatever rock you’ve been hiding!!  SNORT   Feedback:            Please. Please. PLEASE.  I live for feedback.  I get irritable and upset if I don’t get any and I might not continue writing.  Of course, if you don’t like the story and think it sucks you may not want me to continue!   Pairing:                B/T   Summary:            Second in the “Time Series”                                                           “I should go home and get something to change into.”  Buffy softly suggests as she looks at Tara as they walk across the quad towards Tara’s room.    Tara slows down to look at Buffy for a few minutes, considering the slayer.  “Would you like me to come with?”    “You don’t have to.”  Buffy shakes her head, smiling briefly at the Wiccan.   “I know I don’t have to, Buffy.”  Tara reaches up to gently brush her thumb over the slayer’s cheek.  “I’m asking you if you would like me to come with you.”   “It might make things worse.”  Buffy frowns, knowing that if Willow’s there it might make things harder with the redhead if Tara’s with her, but also wanting the Wiccan by her side.   “Don’t think about it making things worse or better, sweetie.”  Tara tilts Buffy’s chin back up from where the slayer had dropped it down to her chest.  “I want to know if you want me to come with you.”   “Yes.”  Buffy finally answers softly, searching the blue eyes.  “I’d love for you to be there with me.  I just didn’t think it would be fair to you.”   Tara shakes her head before leaning in to brush her lips softly over the slayer’s lips.  “I’m not going to throw you to the wolves, love.  I want to be with you, that’s what a partnership is, and I’d like to be more than just a fling.  I’m hoping that you’re wanting more, also.”   Buffy unconsciously leans into the Wiccan, closing her eyes at the soft caress as Tara brushes her lips gently over hers again.  “I want more.  A lot more.”  Buffy exhales lightly, stroking her hands up and down Tara’s back as she thinks for a minute, enjoying the arms wrapped around her, holding her gently.  “I want to date you, take you out, show you off, make love to you ‘til the wee hours of the morning.”  Buffy smiles as she hears the chuckle come from Tara.  “I want to have everything.  Is that what you want?”  Buffy questions hoarsely, a hint of worry in her voice.   Tara shifts back to look again into worried hazel eyes.  Moving her hands to cup the slayer’s face, Tara whispers softly.  “I want all that and more, love.  I want to take your worries away from you, help you on patrols and be there for you any time day or night.  I want to fall asleep in each others arms and wake up the same way.  I just don’t want to move to fast and scare you away.”   Buffy sighs heavily and closes her eyes in relief, knowing the Wiccan means everything she’s saying.  “What are we going to say to everyone?”  Buffy finally opens her eyes after a few minutes, looking into the slightly worried blue eyes, watching as the worry slowly seeps away and the face becomes thoughtful.   “I guess we tell them we’re seeing each other.”  Tara shrugs, grinning crookedly at her lover.    “Simple, to the point, I like it.”  Buffy chuckles and smiles back at Tara.  “Come on, let’s get you to your room so you can shower and get ready.” Buffy gently squeezes Tara’s waist as she looks over the robe Tara’s wearing, with the towel wrapped around her neck.  “How come you exercise in the pool after it’s closed?”  Buffy questions as they head towards Tara’s dorm, holding her hand.   “Don’t like showing myself in front of people.”  Tara admits softly, a light blush crossing her face.   “Why not?”  Buffy frowns heavily, looking at Tara.  “You have a great looking body, Tara.  And that bikini is just begging to be shown to everyone and tell them, you can look, but you can’t touch!”  Buffy growls playfully.   “Is that the bikini talking, or the slayer talking?”  Tara jokes quietly, her eyes twinkling as Buffy looks guiltily at her.  “Uh, huh.”   “Well, why did you get a bikini if you don’t like showing off your extremely sexy, firm, gorgeous self?”  Buffy questions seriously as they walk up the stairs.   Tara blinks at the slayer’s words, surprised at the description and the seriousness of her lover.  “I have a problem with one pieces fitting properly.”  Tara admits after a few minutes as they make it to her door.  Unlocking the door, Tara pushes it open for Buffy to precede her in before following the slayer.    “Fit properly?”  Buffy cocks her eyebrow at the Wiccan.   “If I get a one piece to fit the top half, it’s loose and baggy in the lower half.”  Tara explains, blushing lightly.    “Hmmm.  So, if you get it to fit properly in the lower half, the upper half would be more on display?”  Buffy cocks an eyebrow in consideration, a wicked grin crossing her face at the thought.    “Exactly.”  Tara answers as she pulls clothes out of the closet, not seeing the look on the slayer’s face.  “I’m becoming more comfortable in my own skin, but not that comfortable.”  Tara admits softly.   “You didn’t have a problem with me.”  Buffy points out, sitting down on the bed to watch Tara.    Tara glances over at Buffy, grinning crookedly.  “That’s you, and we’re lovers.  That’s a little different being ogled by you, and being ogled by a bunch of different people.”   “But you’re extremely ogle-worthy.”  Buffy points out as she watches Tara place a pair of jeans and a button up shirt on the bed beside her.    “Thank you.”  Tara blushes lightly looking down before turning to grab underwear out of the drawers, placing them on top of her clothes.  “Of course, I don’t hold a candle next to you.”  Tara points out softly, looking over Buffy.  “Though you do need to put some weight on, sweetie.”   Buffy glances down and sighs, knowing Tara’s right.  “I honestly don’t think about eating half the time, Tara.”  Buffy admits softly.   “Then that’s something I’ll help with.”  Tara strokes the back of her knuckles down Buffy’s cheek.  Tara chuckles softly as Buffy’s stomach grumbles loudly.  “And quickly.  There’s sandwich fixings in the refrigerator, love.  Throw yourself a sandwich together to tide you over until dinner.”  Tara orders quietly as she shifts back, pulling off her robe before quickly stripping off her bikini and placing it in the hamper, looking up at the loud inhale.   “Food, food, food.”  Buffy grumbles, dragging her eyes away from Tara to crouch down beside the refrigerator.  “She’s standing there and expects me to think about food…  I’m starting to wonder how smart she is.”  Buffy grumbles loudly, smirking as she feels Tara coming up behind her.  Squeaking loudly as a hand smacks her hard on the ass.  “HEY!”  Buffy jumps up and rubs her butt cheek, turning to look at a smirking Tara.  “Be careful, or I’ll make you keep it up!”  Buffy growls low and deep.  “And I can guarantee that your hand will hurt a hell of a lot more than my ass ever will!”    Tara raises an eyebrow at the slayer and smirks wickedly.  “I can keep it up, Slayer.  And I can guarantee that your ass will be hurting when I finish with it.”   Buffy growls before grabbing Tara, pulling the Wiccan to her, kissing her hungrily for a few long minutes, her hands running down to cup Tara’s ass, kneading the firm flesh, before finally breaking off the kiss to breathe.  “Don’t tease me, Tara.  That is something I have been seriously interested in.”   “Hmmm.  Doing or being done to?”  Tara questions, her eyes dark with desire.    “Done to.”  Buffy admits softly.  “Not something I’ve been able to broach with anyone except Riley.”   “And his response was?”  Tara softly urges Buffy to continue.   “Not interested.”  Buffy sighs quietly.  “Even just playing at it, he wasn’t interested.”  Buffy shakes her head.    “Sounds to me like Riley was an idiot in more ways than one.”  Tara offers, her head tilted to the side as she thinks about it.    “Hmmm.  You could be right.  But what’s your reasoning?”  Buffy blinks, as Tara rolls her eyes and grins at her.   “Well, the way I see it, you two were together for what, over a year?”  Tara questions and at Buffy’s nod, Tara backs up to sit on the bed, crossing her right leg over her left as she leans back on the bed thinking.  “In all that time together, he never kissed you intimately, to use your phrasing.”    Buffy unconsciously licks her lips at the sight of Tara sitting on the bed naked.  Groaning quietly, Buffy walks over to the robe and covers up the Wiccan before turning and grabbing the sandwich fixings out of the refrigerator.    Tara raises an eyebrow and looks down at the robe covering her.  “What was that for?”   “If you stayed like that I was going to pounce on you.”  Buffy answers in an extremely low, rough voice.  “I’m thinking it wouldn’t be quick either, because I have the urge to spend hours learning your body.  Now the reasoning, please.”  Buffy continues as she throws a sandwich together quickly.   Tara’s lip quirks up and her eyes twinkle merrily as she looks at the tense back of her lover.  “Okay, reasoning.  I bet he wanted you to pleasure him that way, correct?”   Buffy nods her head without turning around.   “Asshole.  Did you enjoy it when I did that?”  Tara questions softly, smiling as Buffy spins around to look at her with a look of disbelief on her face.   “How could you even ask that question?”  Buffy stares wide-eyed at Tara.  “A resounding yes comes to mind.”  Buffy waves the sandwich around as she looks at Tara.    “Okay.  So that’s something that you would like to do again… and frequently?”  Tara grins crookedly as Buffy nods her head quickly and violently in answer.  “His loss.  And I truly despise people that want someone to do something without being willing to at least try to return the favor.  If it’s because they don’t like it or enjoy it, that’s one thing… but not to even try.”  Tara shakes her head.  “That’s pure selfishness.  And for someone that you love, you go the extra mile and do things for them to make them happy.  Even if you don’t necessarily like it, it’s something that I would do in a heartbeat.  Of course… I do like it.”  Tara wiggles her eyebrows at Buffy.   Buffy blushes and looks down at the floor.  “I do, too.”    “Then that part’s settled.  We both like kissing each other intimately, and enjoyed being kissed intimately.”  Tara chuckles and stands pulling on the robe, belting it around her waist.  “I better go shower, or I’ll be tempted to strip you and toss you on the bed to see if there’s something else you would like.”   Buffy’s eyes widen as she looks at Tara.  “What else?”    “Uh, uh.  Not telling you, experimentation is the key word for this relationship.  Lots and lots of experimentation.”  Tara chuckles wickedly as she grabs her shower kit before heading out of the door.   “Brat.”  Buffy growls to the closed door before quickly finishing her sandwich, reaching back into the refrigerator, she pulls a water out before sitting on the bed, patiently waiting for Tara to come back.  “I wonder what she has in mind?”    ***   “How am I going to tell Dawn?”  Buffy worries as the two women walk their way up Revello Drive.   Tara sighs quietly and shakes her head.  Buffy had practically been saying the same thing the whole walk to her house.  “Go in, shower and get cleaned up, sweetie.  Don’t worry about anything right now, okay?”    “But…”  Buffy starts before she’s cut off by a warm set of lips kissing her thoroughly, short-circuiting her brain.   Tara pulls away, smiling softly as Buffy just grins before they start walking again.  Tara follows Buffy into the house as the slayer just waves at her sister with a goofy grin on her face before heading upstairs.   “What’s up with her?”  Dawn questions, before noticing Tara coming into the house.  “Tara!”  Dawn bounces over and hugs Tara.  “I didn’t realize you were coming over tonight.  Willow’s home and she seems to be in a bad mood.”  Dawn whispers softly.   “Yes, I’m aware she isn’t in a good mood.”  Tara tugs on Dawn’s hand, pulling the teen into the living room to sit down on the couch.  “I guess I should explain to you why she’s in a bad mood.”  Tara smiles apologetically at the teen.    “You know why?”  Dawn blinks in surprise, before she looks up the stairs.  “Why did you come here with Buffy?”  Dawn finally questions, remembering Tara came in the house just a few seconds after Buffy.   “That’s the reason she’s in a bad mood.”  Tara murmurs softly.  “Remember how I explained to you that Willow and I weren’t getting back together?”   Dawn nods her head.  “That’s pretty much a given, since she’s dating Amy now.”  Dawn rolls her eyes at that thought. “Amy’s okay, but I miss you.”  Dawn admits softly, looking at Tara.   “I miss you, too, sweetie.”  Tara smiles lovingly at the teen.  “It’s been a couple weeks since we had a movie and shake date, what do you think about one this Saturday afternoon?”    “Okay.”  Dawn bounces excitedly.    “Now, I don’t know an easy way to say this, so I’m just going to say it.  I just ask that you think before you say anything, okay?”  Tara grins crookedly at the teen as Dawn looks questioningly at her.  “What would you think about the thought of my finding a new girlfriend?”   Dawn blinks a couple times and slowly shrugs her shoulders.  “I guess I’d be happy for you, as long as she treated you right.  I gave up on you and Willow getting back together months ago.”  Dawn admits sadly.   Tara chuckles softly and runs a hand through the teenager’s hair.  “Now the hard part…  What if I were to say that my new girlfriend is Buffy?”  Tara questions softly, watching the teenager intently.   Dawn unconsciously jerks and her eyes open wide as she stares at Tara.  “Buffy?”  Dawn squeaks out in a high pitched voice.  “She doesn’t like girls!”  Dawn stares at Tara.   “Hmmm.  I have to say, I think she does.”  Tara grins crookedly at Dawn.  “I just don’t think she’s ever acted on the attraction before.”  Tara explains softly.   Dawn tilts her head, looking at Tara for a few minutes.  “You and her…”  Dawn blushes deeply.    “We’re going out for dinner then patrol tonight, sweetie.  Willow found out earlier when she asked Buffy if she wanted to walk home with her and Buffy pretty much told her she had other plans, with me.”  Tara explains softly.    “How long have you two…”  Dawn waves her hand around, her mind still having a hard time wrapping around the thought of Tara and her sister being together.   “Just today, sweetie.  We haven’t been running around behind anyone’s back or hiding anything.  As a matter of fact, Buffy even insisted on the fact that she wanted everyone to know.  Of course, she’s scared half out of her mind about how you’re going to react.”  Tara admits softly, watching the teenager.   “She’s worried…”  Dawn blinks at the thought of her sister worrying about how she’s going to react.  “You’re pulling my leg, right?  I saw that goofy grin on her face when she came in.  She wasn’t worried about anything.”   “The goofy grin was because I kissed her silly outside the house when she asked me for about the hundredth time what she was going to say to you.”  Tara explains softly.  “I just wish I had thought to do that earlier on the walk over here.”  Tara sighs heavily at the thought.   Dawn snorts back a laugh, until she sees how serious Tara is and can’t help but laugh uproariously.  “Oh, I can’t wait to tease her.”  Dawn smirks at the Wiccan before slowly becoming serious.  “You like each other?”  Dawn questions worriedly.    “Dawnie…”  Tara grasps the teens hand in hers, looking intently into the worried blue eyes.  “I love Buffy, Dawnie.  I’ve cared about your sister for a long time, loved her as a friend and slowly grew to love her more as time went by.  We’ve actually talked off and on quite a bit since Willow and I broke up, but I honestly didn’t think she’d ever like me in a girlfriend type way.”    Dawn watches Tara intently, seeing the emotions crossing the Wiccan’s face, watching the heart stopping smile as she said she loves Buffy.  Seeing that Tara does actually care for Buffy, even love her.    “Don’t tell her, but I caught her checking me out.”  Tara whispers as she leans in to the teen conspiratorially.    Dawn’s mouth drops open as she stares at Tara in stunned shock.  “No way!”   “Yes, way!”  Tara chuckles and nods her head at the teen.  “Needless to say, I didn’t let her hide away and climb back into her shell.”  Tara shrugs her shoulders, smiling softly.  “So, what do you think?”   Dawn shakes her head and blinks at the thought of her sister and Tara together.  “I…  Honestly, I don’t have a clue.”  Dawn admits, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them as she looks at Tara.  “I’m happy you found someone to love, but it being Buffy kind of makes my head hurt.”  Dawn explains, a small smile playing about her mouth.  “If I ever…”  Dawn starts and trails off thinking back to the time Faith was around.  Tilting her head to the side she thinks about how her sister acted, wondering if something might have happened between the two slayers if Faith had been a little less flamboyant, instead of always being in your face type thing.  As that thought occurs to her, she starts thinking about her sister a little more, seeing how Buffy might be willing to try the ‘home’ team.  “Not saying it will, but if something happens between you two where it doesn’t work out, will you still stick around?”  Dawn questions seriously, her eyes worried as she looks at Tara.   “Was I still around after what happened between Willow and myself?”  Tara smiles softly as Dawn nods her head hesitantly.  “I’ll always be here for you, Dawnie.  If that’s what you’re worried about, don’t, okay?”  Tara chuckles as Dawn launches herself at her and hugs her tightly.    “Then I’m not going to complain.  If you two end up becoming a couple that means you’ll move back in and I’ll have you around all the time.  That would make me a very, very happy Dawnie.”  Dawn explains, squeezing the Wiccan tightly.    “Oxygen, Dawn!  Oxygen!”  Tara mutters inhaling deeply as Dawn relaxes her grip.  “Does that mean we have your approval?”   “Duh!”  Dawn rolls her eyes and smirks at the Wiccan.  “Can I at least give Buffy somewhat of a hard time before she finds out I’m okay with it?”   “Please don’t.”  Tara begs quietly.  “I’m serious about her freaking out on the way over here.  She’s worried sick about you not liking the idea of us hooking up.  She’s afraid you’re going to have a major fit and hate her.”    Dawn sighs and releases Tara from her hug, nodding her head.  “Okay.  But I am going to make at least one comment!”  Dawn warns her eyes narrowed on the Wiccan.   Tara closes her eyes and nods her head.  “Okay, but try and be halfway decent about it, please?”   “Maybe.”  Dawn chuckles and listens to the shower running.  “What about Willow?”   Tara unconsciously looks up at the ceiling where the master bedroom was overhead.  “That’s something I don’t want to even think about dealing with, but since Buffy got the initial fall out with Willow, I guess I’ll take the second one.”  Tara slowly stands and brushes her hands over her jeans as she looks at Dawn, grinning self consciously.  “Here goes nothing.”   “Good luck.”  Dawn whispers softly, smiling at the Wiccan as Tara nods her head before quickly striding up the stairs.    ***   Tara slows down as she gets closer and closer to Willow’s room.  Unconsciously hunching her shoulders as she buries her hands in her pockets as she reaches the doorway, glancing in and seeing Willow’s feet hanging off the end of the bed and hearing the redhead tapping away at her computer, unaware of her presence.  Taking a calming breath, Tara pulls one hand out and knocks gently on the door frame.   Willow jumps at the sound of the knock, shifting around in the bed to stare at her ex-lover.  Feeling a slight smirk cross her face at Tara’s obvious apprehension.  “What do you want?”  Willow finally questions after staring into Tara’s wary eyes.   “I thought maybe we should talk.”  Tara quietly whispers as she leans against the doorframe watching Willow.   “Talk?  About the fact that you and my best friend are now fuck buddies?”  Willow scathingly questions, a slight snarl to her lip.  “I think that pretty much sums it up.”   Tara stiffens even as she narrows her eyes on her ex-lover.  “We’re not ‘fuck buddies’, as you so quaintly put it.  She’s your best friend, Willow.  Why don’t you try supporting her and our relationship, instead of being a snotty bitch?  I was happy for you that you found someone, try and be happy for me, instead of acting like everyone’s out to get you for once in your life.  You’re twenty years old, but sometimes you act like a thirteen year old.”  Tara growls quietly, allowing the anger to show at her ex-lover.    Willow jumps up off the bed to stare at Tara.  “Why her?  Why Buffy?  Why couldn’t you have found someone else, instead of my best friend?”   Tara looks intently into Willow’s eyes, seeing the hurt and pain in the depths.  Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Tara shakes her head sadly.  “Because I fell in love with Buffy, Willow.  I can’t help who my heart chooses, and it chose Buffy.”  Tara offers softly, her eyes sad as she looks at Willow.  “I don’t expect you to be all happy about this, but I am hoping that eventually you’ll realize we didn’t do this to hurt you.  We’re doing this because it’s what we want.  Buffy’s your best friend Willow, and has been for the last six years.  Don’t throw that friendship away.”  Tara closes her eyes for a second, taking a deep breath before slowly turning and leaving the doorway to head down the stairs.   Willow stares at her ex-lover as she watches her leave, the blonde’s words echoing around in her head.  Knowing that they would never be a couple again, and even with her being with Amy, she never really thought about Tara dating someone else.  The thought was incomprehensible… then to find out she’s dating her supposedly heterosexual best friend, Buffy.  Willow shakes her head and she slowly collapses onto the bed, her eyes still staring at the empty doorway as she tries to understand what part of it is making her the angriest.    ***   Buffy leans against the shower wall as she listens to the two women argue, her heart swelling as she listens to Tara admit that she was in love with her.  Turning the water off, Buffy slowly steps from the shower, grabbing the towel and drying her body as she contemplates Tara and Willow.  Grabbing a clean towel to start drying her hair, Buffy wonders what it means for the Scooby gang with the change of the players.  Brushing her hair, Buffy grabs the blow dryer to finish drying and styling her hair before pulling her robe on, belting it tightly as she heads out of the bathroom, her eyes inexorably drawn towards Willow’s room.  “Shit.”  Buffy growls softly, turning towards the redhead’s room.   Stopping at the door, Buffy stares at Willow who’s obviously staring off into space, lost in her own thoughts.  “We aren’t doing this to hurt you, Willow.  Tara makes me happy, and touches something inside me I thought would never be touched again.  I love her, and pray that I don’t fuck it up like I’ve done with every other relationship I’ve had.”  Buffy explains quietly after Willow became aware of her standing there.   “But…”  Willow waves her hands around as her shoulders slump dejectedly.  “I don’t want you two to date.”  Willow whispers, unaware of the tears gathering in her eyes.  “If she’s dating you, there’s no way I’ll ever get her back.”   Buffy swallows hard as she slowly comes into the room, easing down beside Willow and cautiously taking the redhead’s hand in hers.  “That’s your real problem, isn’t it Willow?”  When Willow nods her head and the tears start to follow, Buffy sighs quietly.  “I don’t know what happened between you two, but I know from what both of you have said that it’s over between you.  Do you honestly believe that you can get her back?”   Willow slowly shakes her head in the negative as she looks down at her freckled hand being clasped in Buffy’s strong tan hand.  “She’ll never come back to me.  I destroyed the trust in our relationship, Buffy.  There’s no way she could ever get over that.  Trust and being truthful are very, very big parts of being with Tara.  And I screwed up both.”  Willow sighs heavily.  “I know she won’t come back to me, up here.”  Willow taps the side of her head with her free hand, before lowering it to place over her heart.  “But this has a hard time accepting it.  You know I’ll always love her.”  Willow looks up into sad hazel eyes, the tears flowing from her own green eyes.   “I know, Willow.  Just like I’m sure you still love Oz, and I’ll always love Angel.  But sometimes things just don’t work out, and we go on.  Then we get knocked off kilter by some new, wonderful person that we never expected.  And we can have happiness and love after all.”  Buffy tries to explain softly, smiling as Willow allows her lip to quirk up in a half-hearted smile.    “You do love her, don’t you?”  Willow questions searching her best friend’s eyes seeing an openness and love in the depths that she doesn’t ever remember seeing there before.    “Yeah, I do.”  Buffy sighs softly as her eyes become distant.  “This may seem like it’s happened quick, but for the last four or five months I’ve been talking with Tara off and on, her helping me get my head right.  I think every time we’d talk I fell a little more in love with her each time.  But I never thought she’d be interested in me.  Thank God I was wrong.”  Buffy chuckles softly.    “She’s a wonderful woman, Buffy.  You two obviously care for each other, and I think I’ve screwed up enough in the past year, to where I don’t want to add to it.  If you make each other happy, I’m not going to stand in your way.  I’ll have to admit, I’ll probably get a little weirded out occasionally, but…”  Willow shrugs, smiling sadly at Buffy.   “As would I if you hooked up with Angel, or Riley.”  Buffy smiles in understanding.  “Thank you, Willow.  I guess I should go get dressed.”   “I’m staying in tonight, so don’t worry about Dawn.”  Willow offers the olive branch quietly, squeaking as Buffy wraps her up in a tight hug.   “Thank you, Willow.”  Buffy murmurs in the redhead’s ear.    Willow hugs Buffy back, patting her gently on the back before they relax their grip.  “Have a wonderful time.”   Buffy smiles and her eyes start to twinkle merrily.  “I think that will probably be a given.”   Willow smacks Buffy on the shoulder and growls playfully at her best friend.  “I don’t want to hear any details!!  Now get out of here and have a wonderful night.”   “Thanks, Willow.”  Buffy grins as she hops off the bed and runs out of the room.   “You’re welcome, Buffy.”  Willow whispers to the empty room, unconsciously wiping the tears from her face.   ***   Buffy trots down the stairs, frowning at the sight of Dawn sitting on the couch alone, a worried look on her face.  “What’s wrong?”   “Tara’s sitting outside on the porch swing.”  Dawn waves to the door, watching as Buffy blinks and quickly makes her way to the door.  “I think she’s a little off-centered from whatever happened with Willow.”   Buffy nods her head silently in agreement, her eyes worried as she looks out the front door, watching her lover swing slowly back and forth while staring at some point in the distance.  “How are you?”  Buffy questions softly, glancing back at Dawn.   “I’ll be okay, Buffy.  As long as you two love each other and you don’t run Tara off, things will be fine.  Go out there and check on her, I know you want to.”  Dawn whispers, watching as Buffy quickly nods her head in response before sliding out the door.    ***   Buffy eases down beside Tara on the swing, gently placing an arm around the Wiccan, breathing out a relieved breath as Tara snuggles into her side and places her head on her shoulder.  “I heard what was said.  I talked with Willow after your discussion she’s slowly coming to terms with us, Tara.  She knows in her head that you two are over, but she still loves you and I think that more than anything is what her hang up is.  Her heart was still hoping that you two would get back together.”  Buffy explains quietly as they gently rock back and forth on the swing.    “And it probably hurt her even more when she realized I’m in love with you.”  Tara makes the comment softly.  “Dawn’s okay with us.  I think she plans on picking on you, though.”   Buffy chuckles and places a kiss on Tara’s head, closing her eyes as Tara strokes her hand up and down her thigh in a soothing gesture.  “I guess I expect no less from her.  I’m glad she’s okay with us being together.”  Buffy groans quietly as her stomach grumbles loudly.    “And another country is heard from.  Come on, honey.  Let’s go out to dinner.”  Tara squeezes Buffy’s leg before standing smiling as Buffy stands and threads their fingers together.    “Chinese?”  Buffy questions hopefully, looking at Tara.   “Mmmhmmm.”  Tara grins crookedly as they walk away from Buffy’s house.  “There’s that new buffet that I’ve heard some wonderful things about.”   “Probably cheaper for me to eat there.”  Buffy chuckles and pats her stomach.    “And they have a sushi bar that one of my friends was telling me about where they make the Sushi to order.  She was going on and on about this one particular roll, so I think I’ll try it.”  Tara brushes her thumb over the back of Buffy’s hand as they stroll down the street.  “Not much longer and the school year will be done.  Is the job through the summer?”   “Yes.  They do some serious stripping and waxing of all the floors during the summer.  Jason said that takes up most of the summer months.”  Buffy leans more into Tara as they walk.  “Next year’s your last year, right?”    Tara slows down to a stop, turning to look at Buffy, shaking her head at the slayer.  “No, honey.  This year’s my last year.”  Seeing the confusion on Buffy’s face, Tara chuckles softly.  “I’m a year older than you, remember?”   “I just assumed that you were in the same year…”  Buffy shakes her head, sighing heavily.  “I hate to admit it, but I don’t even know what you were going to school for.”    Tara chuckles and urges the slayer to start walking again.  “Don’t worry about it, honey.  It’s not like we ever really talked about what courses I was taking for you to know what I was taking for a college degree.”   Buffy rolls her eyes and tugs her hand from Tara’s to wrap her arm around her lover’s waist.  “Are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to tickle it from you?”  Buffy questions, letting her fingers lightly skim over Tara’s ribs, pouting when Tara just turns and raises an eyebrow to look at her.   “My ribs aren’t ticklish, Buffy.”  Tara grins crookedly at Buffy, silently adding ‘you’ll have to find out my ticklish spots’.  “I’m going to be a teacher.  I’m heavy on the English and History end of the spectrum, so I will be able to teach either of those classes and fill in with the other classes if I can’t get a full-time job.”   “That’s why Dawn always had you help her with her English and History homework.”  Buffy groans and smacks herself in the head.  “Makes sense.  Willow would help her with the Math and Science the majority of time, unless she wasn’t there.”   “Willow’s much smarter when it comes to the Math and Science.  Just like that infernal computer of hers.”  Tara groans at the remembrance.  “I hate computers.  I always make them lock up and even she couldn’t figure out what I was doing to make them do that!”   “Good.  That means I’m not the only one computer impaired.”  Buffy jokes squeezing Tara’s waist gently.  “What do you have to do to get hired on teaching?  What years are you going to teach?”   “High School.  And I guess I’ll be putting in my application here.”  Tara turns and grins at the slayer, before the smile slowly drops off her face as Buffy turns to her and pales.   “You were going to leave weren’t you?”  Buffy whispers, as it dawns on her that Tara probably would go somewhere else to teach.  She stops to stare into Tara’s blue eyes, seeing the answer.  “Why?”   “Honestly?”  Tara questions softly, watching as Buffy nods her head in answer.  “There wasn’t much of a reason for me to stay.  Willow and I were broken up.  You were back on track, being in the land of the living.  Xander and Anya couldn’t care less.  Dawnie had her sister back along with the rest of you, so…”  Tara shrugs and trails off, sighing quietly as she sees the pain cross Buffy’s eyes, then the anger follow quickly behind.   “And you felt like you didn’t belong anymore.”  Buffy growls angrily as she unconsciously steps back away from Tara, shoving her hands in her jeans as she stares across the street.  “I only came around when I needed to talk about what a shitty time of it I was having.  Your ex was a magic junky that abused you, so why am I shocked that you were going to leave us?”  Buffy shakes her head, yanking one hand out to brush the hair off her face that had gotten in her way.    “Buffy…”  Tara steps towards Buffy, frowning as Buffy backs up and looks at her, the self hatred evident in her eyes.    “Why the hell didn’t you tell me I was using you?  All this time, I never even bothered asking what happened between you and Willow.  How self-centered was that?  I’m surprised you can stand to be around any of us.  The only time you see us is if we need your help for something.”  Buffy growls angrily as she strides down the sidewalk, before spinning on her heel and striding back, pacing beside the Wiccan.    “Buffy, honey, please!”  Tara catches the slayer’s attention after a few minutes, watching as Buffy kept pacing, but didn’t seem to be calming down any.  “You weren’t using me, sweetie.  I was there for you because I wanted to be.  You didn’t twist my arm to make me listen to you.  As for what happened between Willow and I, that was insignificant compared to what you were going through.”  Tara watches as Buffy finally slows down to look at her.   “What did happen, Tara?”  Buffy finally questions, stopping in front of the Wiccan, looking into sad blue eyes.    “Remember the spell where she wiped all our memories?”  Tara questions softly, watching as Buffy nods her head.  “That wasn’t the first time she used that spell.”   Buffy inhales sharply as she looks at Tara.  “She said earlier that she had done something that took away the trust in your relationship.”   “Yes.  We had some kind of argument and she did a spell to wipe the argument from my mind.  Once I found out about it, I was going to leave, but she begged and pleaded for me to stay, to give her another chance.  She promised to not do magic for a month…  I told her to go without for a week and we’d go from there.”  Tara shakes her head and sighs quietly.  “She lasted roughly twelve hours before she did the spell that wiped all our memories.”   “And that night you moved out.”  Buffy whispers remembering that at that time she started the thing with Spike.  “I never should have let you move out, Tara.  You could have bunked down with either me or Dawn until we figured out something else, but I should have kept you in the house.”   “I wouldn’t have been able to stay in the house with Willow.”  Tara shakes her head, smiling softly at the slayer.  “I appreciate the thought, but I would have had to leave.  I knew then that I would never be able to trust her again, and without trust there can be no relationship.  It would have been cruel to stay there and give her the hope that we would get back together.”   Buffy smiles in understanding.  Reaching up, Buffy strokes her fingers down Tara’s cheek before running them gently over the softly smiling full lips.  “Do you think you two will be able to be friends?”  Buffy wonders out loud.   “I hope so.”  Tara answers after pressing a kiss on Buffy’s fingertips.  “I don’t want to lose her friendship, Buffy.  Just as I don’t want you two to have problems because of me.”   “We’ll be okay, Tara.”  Buffy eases closer to the Wiccan, running her hand behind Tara’s neck an urging her lover down the short distance to kiss her lovingly.  “We’ll be okay.  We’ve all been through so much together, that it should work out.  Just give it time.”   Tara strokes her thumb over Buffy’s neck, as she relaxes a little more.  “I’m sure there’ll be quite a few bumps along the way, but I’m willing to work my way over them.”   “I’ll bulldoze them, if I have to.”  Buffy growls playfully before leaning in to place a playful, nipping kiss on Tara’s bottom lip.  “Come on, Wiccan mine.  Let’s go get food I suddenly got my appetite back.”   Tara chuckles as Buffy tugs her quickly down the street.    ***   “Here, try this.”  Tara holds up a piece of sushi with a touch of wasabi on it for the slayer.    “You’re trying to make me eat raw fish.  I don’t do raw fish.”  Buffy growls, looking at the sushi Tara’s expertly holding between her chopsticks.   “This isn’t raw fish!  This is eel, cream cheese, seaweed wrap, and rice rolled in a little breading and deep fried.  Try it!”  Tara growls back and as Buffy starts to open her mouth to complain again, Tara quickly slides the sushi between the slayer’s lips, smirking as Buffy whimpers.   Buffy snarls her nose before she closes her mouth and slowly starts to chew the piece, prepared to hate it.  As she continues to chew and the flavor works its way through her mouth, bursting over her taste buds, Buffy groans as she realizes it’s extremely tasty, knowing she wasn’t going to be able to stop with that one piece.  Finishing chewing and swallowing the piece, Buffy licks her lips and looks at the knowing look on her lover’s face.  “Brat.  Give me some more of that.”