FIC: Right In Front of You Part 26 (PG-13 for part)

["CDS" <callistosdarkside@xxxxxxxxxx>]

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-CDS

• Title: Right In Front of You
• Author: Callisto's Dark Side
• Email: callistosdarkside@xxxxxxxxxx
• Feedback: The more I get, the faster I write.
• Distribution: Can be found at
http://www.geocities.com/callistosdarkside/RightInFrontOfYou.htm (My Site),
http://www.geocities.com/last_days_of_pern, and
http://www.peccath.com/extraflamey/mainframe.htm
• Spoilers: All of Season 5, but events take place before some events in
Tough Love.
• Rating: R
• Pairing: W/T & B/W
• Disclaimer: All characters from Angel & Buffy the Vampire Slayer are
copyright Joss Whedon & 20th Century Fox.
• Summary: Willow/Tara fic in which the two love birds must manage to deal
with the consequences of a spell that threatens to tear them apart forever.

Chapter 26

Evening.

Willow walked into the dimly-lit home and turned on the light, "Buffy?"

The Slayer popped out of the dining room and took the redhead's hand,
"Come."

Buffy dragged Willow into the dining room.

"Oh my God, Buffy," Willow covered her mouth with her hand, "What's this
for?"

The redhead's eyes perused the wine, pasta, and candles.

"This is me paying off my debt," Buffy explained, pulling out a chair for
the Wiccan. "Sit," Buffy motioned Willow towards the chair.

Willow did as she was asked, and took a seat.

"I know this isn't cash like Anya specified in our contract, but I figured
you'd like this better," Buffy explained.

"You're right, this isn't cash," Willow pouted playfully.

"Aren't we the money-grabber all of a sudden?" Buffy teased, as she uncorked
the bottle of wine and poured Willow a glass.

"Darn tootin'," Willow smiled, bringing the glass to her lips.

"If you want cash, I could always take the wine back for a refund?"

"But I just drank some," Willow pointed out.

"That would be a problem, wouldn't it?"

"What do you propose then?"

"I propose, that you enjoy your dinner settlement and not sue, as stated
under article one, section five," Buffy drawled.

"I'll consider it," Willow said, taking another sip of wine.

******

Ten hours earlier.

"You have to tell her Buffy," Anya stated while counting her cash.

"Why? Why do I have to tell her anything?" Buffy shouted, slamming her fist
on the counter.

"Because, I've seen the way you look at her, and it's 90% lust."

"No it isn't," Buffy protested. "Okay, maybe a little lust, but definitely
not 90%."

"90%, 80%, what's the difference? All I know is that you kissed her back in
L.A. and you've been begging to kiss her again, ever since."

"You saw?"

"Hello?" Anya waved her fistful of cash in the Slayer's face, "the whole
city of L.A. saw."

"Oh," Buffy blushed.

"Yeah, oh," Anya exasperated, "Not only did I see it, but I'm pretty sure
Little Miss Amnesia Girl, really isn't all that forgetful."

"What are you saying?" Buffy demanded.

"I'm saying she lied to you."

"Wait a minute, how do you know anything?" Buffy demanded.

"Hospital doors, not very effective against nosy ex-demons," Anya answered.

"How could you?"

"Easy, I stood by the closed door like I was waiting for someone."

"No, I meant, how could you?"

"Oh, you mean morally speaking?"

Buffy shook her head.

"Hey, it's good that I know what happened, cuz someone needs to slap some
logic into you."

"What're talking about?" Buffy asked.

"Like I said before, Willow remembers, but she's too afraid to admit it.
You have to ask her again."

"I can't. Tara…"

Anya fell silent.

"What am I supposed to do? Tell Willow I love her and want to take Tara's
place? Tell her to forget about everything she ever had with Tara?" Buffy
cried.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because, that's what'll I'll be doing, won't I?" Buffy questioned, her eyes
beginning to water. "I'll be a replacement."

Anya stepped around the counter and brought the now sobbing Slayer into her
arms, "There, there," Anya comforted. "You won't be a replacement. You'll
be a new love."

"How can I be? I had feelings for Will even before we knew Tara was gone for
good. I know I shouldn't have, but I did."

"That doesn't make you a bad person, Buffy. It's natural for people to have
feelings for people they aren't supposed to."

"But I kissed her. I kissed her when we didn't even know if Tara and Dawn
would be back."

"Okay, granted, that was wrong," Anya said, patting Buffy's head, "but
that's in the past. You have to live for now. And now says that Willow
needs someone new. You need someone too. So that means, get a freakin'
clue."

"Did you just do Dr. Seuss?"

"Who's Dr. Seuss?"

******

Tara raced out of the library with book in hand, not caring that she hadn't
checked it out with her fake library card.

She rushed through the crowd, carelessly bumping into merchants, beggars and
shoppers. She had to get to Dawn fast.

After running what seemed liked the Boston Marathon, Tara reached the temple
entrance and was stopped by the guard.

"Whoa, what's the hurry Miss?"

"I have to get inside, now!" Tara demanded.

"You have to pay the fee first," The guard stated, pointing to the sign.

"Here," Tara reached into her pocket, grabbed a fistful of coins and slapped
them into the guard's hand, "Keep the change."

Tara rushed past the surprised, but non-complaining guard.

The Wiccan nearly stumbled going down the dipping hallway, but steadied
herself as she came upon Dawn's limp form lying on the floor.

"Dawn?" Tara cried, as she checked for a pulse from the girl's wrist.

Tara couldn't feel a pulse, so she placed her ear to the girl's chest for
any sign of a heartbeat, but nothing.

Tara listened for any breathing, but she heard nothing there either.
Immediately, Tara began CPR, blowing deep breaths into Dawn's lungs, then
applying pressure to the girl's chest.

She had seen it done many times on TV, but had no formal training.

After several attempts at resuscitation, Dawn began coughing up a storm.

"Dawn?"

"Ah, God, what happened?" Dawn questioned, grabbing her head.

"I'm not sure, but I think that green crystal had something to do with it."

"Wait a sec, I remember now. I think it hit me."

"Then we better get out of here."

"No argument here," Dawn breathed, as she stood up shakily and headed out of
the temple.

Before Tara left, she took one long look at the glowing crystal pulsating at
the centre of the room, wondering if it truly was their way back home.

******

"So this book says the crystal's waiting for me?" Dawn asked, sitting
crossed-legged on the bed.

"Not exactly. It says the lock awaits the key," Tara pointed out the
caption below the picture.

"But that's me, I'm the key," Dawn pointed to her chest.

"How do we know it meant you?"

"It called out to me."

"It what?"

"When I was in the room, it started talking to me. Not verbally, but
emotionally."

"Emotionally?" Tara furrowed her brow.

"Yeah, like it wanted me to come closer, but then the stupid thing hit me
and knocked me out."

"Why would it do that?"

"Don't ask me, you're the expert."

"It doesn't make any sense. Why would the crystal, or lock, want you to
come closer, only to hit you?"

"Maybe that's what it wanted all along."

"To hurt you?"

"Maybe."

"That's assuming it can think."

"Oh, it definitely can think alright. Even if I couldn't make out what it
was saying."

"I thought you said it was talking to you emotionally?"

"Yeah, that's why I couldn't tell what it was saying."

"Could you feel it though?"

"I think so. My best guess is that it was afraid."

"Afraid?"

"Uh huh."

"Interesting," Tara said, flipping the pages in the book. "This book might
contain the answer to why it attacked you. I think we should both stay here
for the time being, at least until I know more."

"Fine with me, I've been knocked out enough times since I've been here.
First when I got here, and now when a creepy crystal hates me," Dawn
drawled.

******

"I told you Buffy, everything's a blur after I got shot," Willow said,
nervously taking another sip of her wine.

"Are you sure?" Buffy insisted from across the table.

"Of course I'm sure. Why wouldn't I be sure?"

"Well, Anya…"

"Anya?"

"Yeah, Anya said that maybe you might remember more than…"

"Than I was telling you?"

"Uh huh," Buffy lowered her head.

"Why would I do that?" Willow asked, not really wanting the Slayer to
answer.

"Because you're afraid. Afraid of the truth."

Willow ground her teeth and put her glass down the table, "I said I don't
remember anything Buffy, can't you just accept that!"

"No," The Slayer murmured.

"No? You can't accept the fact that I've tried to forget that you kissed
me?"

"So you do remember?" Buffy replied softly, gently lifting her head to see
the fire burning in her friend's watery eyes.

"Of course I remember. How could I forget?" The Wiccan yelled, standing up.
"You kissed me Buffy," Willow stated, like an accusation.

"I'm sorry, I…"

"I can't deal with this, Buffy," Willow cried, stepping around the dining
table.

"No wait," The Slayer stood up and grabbed a hold of Willow's arm, "Please?"

"Buffy, I can't…" Willow whimpered.

"Damn it Will," Buffy breathed. "Can't you see what's right in front of
you?" Buffy cried, cupping Willow's chin and forcing the quavering Wiccan to
look her in the eyes. "Can't you see what's always been right in of you?"

Willow saw the pain in the Slayer's eyes. She saw everything.

Buffy tried to read the Wiccan's eyes, but all she read was confusion, and
then the girl she'd known for the most important years of her life, leaned
in and pressed their lips together.

******

"This book reads like a college text book," Tara whined rubbing her eyes.

"Take a rest then," Dawn suggested.

"I can't, not now. We're so close."

"I know, but it's no use if you're tired and sleepy and miss something
important."

"True."

"Rest for a little, the book will still be here."

"Okay, but only for a little bit," Tara reluctantly agreed, placing the book
down next to her pillow, while lying down on her back.

"So how have your dreams been lately?" Dawn inquired.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you had any bad dreams of Willow?"

"Surprisingly no. It was only when we started out to the Capitol when I
felt she was in danger."

"So what do you dream about now?"

"Unfortunately, that's reserved for adults."

"Oh, come on."

"Would you like it, if I asked you what you dream about?" Tara questioned.

"Okay, I get your point," Dawn frowned, "but don't you have anything that's
not naughty?"

"Nope," Tara smiled. "I only have naughty dreams."

"Sounds like Willow's gonna be happy to see you when we get back," Dawn
drawled.

"And then some," Tara laughed.

"I'll bet," Dawn rolled her eyes. "Just remember to lock your door and
crank up the stereo this time."

"Are we that obvious?"

"Well, when the walls start shaking, you know it's not a good thing."

"For you maybe," Tara grinned.

"Ugh," Dawn covered her ears playfully, "forget I said anything."

******

Willow sat in her shared bed with Buffy. Before the kiss this evening, she
had tried to convince herself that sharing Buffy's bed was just out of
comfort and nothing more.

Now everything changed. She kissed Buffy, after Buffy kissed her. It was
strange. All those times in her head, she could blame Buffy for kissing
her. It was Buffy's fault. Buffy kissed her, and that's why she had those
guilty feelings inside when she thought of Tara.

Now though, she kissed back. Now, she had no more excuses.

After the kiss, Buffy had left to Slay, leaving no time for conversation.

Maybe that was for the best, as Willow really had no idea what to say to
Buffy after kissing, and she still had no idea.

Willow jumped out of bed upon hearing the front door of the house open.
Buffy was back. Only it sounded like Anya was with her.

******

Buffy finally mustered up the courage to turn the doorknob and push open the
front door, when Anya came crashing in from behind her almost tackling the
petite blonde.

"So?" Anya questioned.

"So, what?" Buffy asked back.

"So, how'd it go?"

"None of your business." Buffy quietly shut the front door. "And would you
mind keeping your voice down? I think Willow's asleep."

"So you already had the sex?" Anya smiled.

"No, we did not have the sex," Buffy whispered as loudly as she could.

"Then why is she asleep?"

"I think she was a little freaked out."

"That can't be good."

"No, I think it was. She was freaked out in a good way."

"How so?"

"She kissed me back."

"Your point?"

"She kissed me back, Anya. She kissed me."

"I still don’t see your point."

"Before, I kissed her, but tonight, we kissed each other."

"What's the difference?"

"If you can't see it, then I don't feel like explaining," Buffy shook her
head.

"Well, the point is, she loves you, right?"

"I dunno," Buffy shrugged.

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

"It's not like I asked."

"But you said she kissed you back."

"She did."

"Then she must love you."

"I hope so," Buffy exhaled.

"Does she know you love her?"

"I dunno."

"Geez, woman, how do you expect her to tell you, if you haven't told her?"

"I kinda thought our kiss was self-explanatory."

"Obviously, it wasn't."

******

Willow listened intently to the conversation below, between Buffy and Anya.

Willow knew she shouldn't have been listening, but she just had to know what
they were talking about, and she didn't have the courage to suddenly walk
downstairs, especially since, they were talking about her.

As the conversation ended, Buffy promptly kicked Anya out of the house.
Willow ran back to their room, her heart beating out of her chest.


To be continued.