Extra Flamey Cont

As soon as Tara had blown out the ‘extra flamey’ candle, the blonde wiccan’s confidence left her. Her hands started to shake and her temperature plummeted.

"Tara?" Willow’s voice cut through her confusion and fear momentarily. "You’re shaking, are you okay?" The pretty red head’s words fell like balm onto a wound instantly soothing and comforting.

"I-I-I just thought, I blew out our only light source." Tara said pointlessly.

"Not a problem." Was Willow’s instant reply, followed by the sound of her rummaging in her pocket and then the sparkling small flame of a lighter. "Be prepared, a Scooby motto." The hacker proclaimed proudly leaning to relight the candle. "Better?" She asked letting the lighter shut off, leaving the candle to burn.

Willow watched as Tara carefully moved the candle to stand on a nearby bookshelf. The read head took a slight breath, she was amazed that her resolve had lasted this long. It was true her heart had nearly broken when the blonde wiccan came to the door, her eyes so sad and lonely in the dark. She glanced over to the young woman whose blonde hair sparkled in the candle light.

"I can’t apologize enough." Willow began softly and Tara shook her head.

"No need, I-I-I understand what you had to do." The young blonde instantly commented to make the redhead feel better. Willow shook her head.

"Tara please." Willow reached out and put on of her hands over Tara’s. "You didn’t deserve any of this. If Oz had hurt you I don’t know what I would have done."

"B-B-But he didn’t." Tara tried the bright side of things to make this easier for the young woman who so recently had stolen her heart.

"How would I know that?" Willow said her voice a little bitter. "I didn’t even check." She added. "not properly, not yet."

"No." Tara admitted.

"So can I check?" Willow closed a little of the gap between them.

"I think the worse I got w-w-was a bruised knee." Tara smiled lopsidedly.

"Which knee?" Willow continued her approach.

Tara glanced down at her own body.

"This one." She said somewhat stupidly. Willow dropped down to examine the indicated joint.

"Ouchie." She said softly kissing her fingers and then gently laying them over the area. "Any better?"

The young blonde grinned despite feeling a little embarrassed.

"Much." She breathed.

An odd silence fell between the pair.

"I couldn't let them hurt him." Willow offered up an explanation for her earlier failure to check Tara's health and well being.

"It's alright." Tara underlined softly, "Really it is." Her voice dropped a notch deeper.

The redhead looked up into blue eyes and smiled.

"I don't know what it is, or why I do," Willow paused, "I love you."

All the worry and hesitancy that Tara had once had left her in that one moment. She stepped forward and lifted her hand to Willow's cheek.

"I am you know." She said softly, watching as Willow closed her eyes and leaned into her hand. The redheads hand moved up and rested on top of Tara's.

"Mine." She breathed. She took a deep breath cementing the feeling and moment in her memory. "Kiss me." She whispered opening her eyes very slightly.

Though she had never done anything even remotely similar to this, Tara found herself moving to fulfil Willow's request. As soft lips met both girls let their eyes drift close and both moved into an affectionate embrace.

The simple kiss lasted only a brief moment but the girls held each other longer.

"My turn." Willow said eventually. She pulled back out of the embrace and walked carefully to where the candle stood burning away in the darkness. "But this time, without this." She extinguished the candle with a concentrated blow, instantly returning the room to inky blackness. This time however it was not a blackness either girl wanted to lose, and it was flames of a different design that they were eager to ignite.

 THE END.