Causatum
by sailor80
Thirteen
[reviews]
Buffy was confused when she woke. Her room was as dark as it ever got. One candle still burned on the dresser. Willow's fingers were deep inside her and Willow's lips moved randomly against her skin. Buffy held Willow tightly against her. Buffy's fingers were still trapped inside her.
Buffy listened and heard only Dawn's soft snores and the tinny music of headphones slipped off in her sleep. The neighborhood was quiet as well. So they could all talk to each other in their sleep. They were still joined somehow. That thought made Buffy happy in a way she hadn't been since before her mother got sick. Buffy smiled, and her free hand moved easily along Willow's flank.
By this time tomorrow they would be trying to figure out when to call without waking everyone up. By this time tomorrow, Xander would have relocated Tara and Aislin to Dawn's house. By this time tomorrow,
Buffy's train of thought derailed when Willow muttered and shifted her flngers in Buffy. The small orgasm startled Buffy. She clutched Willow tighter and let out a long deep moan.
"Hmmm?" Willow hummed back. Her lips moved with purpose as her dream of making love with Buffy segued into the reality of making love with Buffy. Willow navigated by taste, and found her way to Buffy's mouth. Despite Buffy's urging, or maybe because of it, Willow's kisses were sleepy, slow, and steamy. Willow followed Buffy's hips with her fingers even as she strained to get the friction she denied Buffy.
Buffy's hand slipped out of Willow and slid across her hip. She grabbed Willow's ass with both hands and pulled Willow on top of her without breaking their kiss. Willow rotated her wrist, and gave them both some relief. Buffy ripped her mouth away to pant ooos of pleasure. Willow smiled smugly at her and ground their nipples together. Willow slipped onto Buffy's thigh when it was offered. Buffy's muscles played under her skin and Willow's smirk turned to a grimace.
It was a long time before they could talk. Buffy nibbled under Willow's ear. "Tara wants us to leave right away."
"Yeah. Mmmm," Willow stretched against Buffy.
"Where do you want to go first?"
"Wherever you want." Willow petted Buffy endlessly, playing her fingers along Buffy's smooth skin.
"Someplace warm." Buffy's lips played down Willow's neck. "You taste so good."
Willow giggled while Buffy continued her oral caresses.
Buffy finally dropped her head to the pillow. "I love you, Willow," Buffy murmured.
"I love you, too," Willow answered.
The next time they woke, the room was bright. Buffy stretched, then laid back to watch Willow sleep.
"Hey," Willow said without opening her eyes.
"Hey," Buffy answered. "How are you?"
"Great." Willow turned her head and kissed the skin under her lips. "You?"
"Fabulous. Should we pack or just go?" Buffy played with Willow's hair.
"I need the computer. And you. "
"In that order?" Buffy teased.
"Nope." Willow kissed Buffy's shoulder again.
"Good." Buffy looked at Willow and smiled. She looked over at the clock as she heard the front door open. "We better get going."
Xander boxed up all of Willow's things while she and Buffy prepared to leave. After he put the last box in Buffy's room, he went downstairs and sat on the couch to wait for them. They came downstairs quickly, with damp hair. Willow had her computer case and Buffy had one large and one small bag.
They were quiet during the ride to the airport. Xander took them directly to the hangar they had used before. He hugged them singly and together, and told them, "See you soon." He didn't hang around to watch their plane leave. There were boxes to move. Again.
Aislin sat on the bed and watched Tara fill boxes. Her offers to help had been decllned, but she asked again, "How can I help?"
Tara looked up. "There's so much to do."
"Tell me how to help, Tara," Aislin repeated. She got up and went to the blonde. "I want to help."
"I don't even know where to start." Tara sounded flustered. She dropped what was in her hands into the box and started to turn to pick up something else.
Aislin stopped her with a hand on the shoulder. "I can pack while you take care of the paperwork with the university."
"But I told Xander we'd be ready at," Tara looked at her watch. "Now."
"Tara, it'll be okay. Take a breath. We don't have to do it all today, do we?"
"It's easier that way." Rapping on the door interrupted her. "It's open, Xander," Tara called.
"Good morning, ladies," Xander said, smiling. "Looks like you need a little help."
"That's what I keep telling her," Aislin said.
"Sorry we're not ready," Tara told him.
"No big. Are any of these ready to carry out?"
"Those." Tara pointed toward a corner.
"I'll start with them, then. Give you some room to work." Xander went to the corner and picked up a box. "I'll be back," he said in a poor Schwartzenegger imitation.
Aislin got an empty box and took it to the bookcase. She started putting books in it while Tara worked at clearing her desk.
With the three of them working, it didn't take long to empty the room. Xander and Aislin took everything to the Summers house while Tara went to beg incompletes for Willow's work and get a few extensions for her own. After that, Tara walked quickly to Revello Drive.
When she arrived, Xander was carrying down the last empty box. "Thank you so much for everything," Tara told him.
"You're welcome." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I have to go pick up lunch for Anya. See you later."
After Xander closed the door, Tara called, "Aislin?"
"Upstairs."
Tara climbed the stairs and followed the sounds to the room she and Willow had shared. It looked different. Xander and Aislin had rearranged the furniture. Aislin was hanging clothes in the closet. Tara went behind her and put her arms around Aislin's waist. She rested her cheek against Aislin's shoulder. "Thank you."
Aislin put the hangar on the pole and turned in Tara's loose embrace. "You're welcome." She rested her hands at Tara's waist. "They're fine," she said after a moment.
"I know."
"We'll see them soon." Aislin lifted one hand and pushed hair back from Tara's cheek.
"I know," Tara repeated. She smiled at Aislin. "It's easy to have hope in the spring."
"It is." Aislin's hand stayed on Tara's cheek.
"No really. Willow told me. The pineal gland becomes more active in response to the increasing light. It's mostly biological. That's her problem with magick. She thinks it's physics." Tara realized how much she had said and looked down. "Do I want too much?" she asked softly.
"I don't know. You haven't told me what you want." Aislin smiled. This was easy. This she understood instinctively. It was just like when she waited for the birds to approach her. Tara was as skittish as any of them. 'And who could blame her?' Aislin asked herself.
"I know the path I've chosen isn't easy," Tara said. "I know how horribly wrong things can go. I know better than most that my friends, my family, can walk out the door and never come home. But why can't it be easy for just a little while?"
"Is that what you want?"
Tara nodded.
"It's not too much," Aislin told her.
"Really?"
"Really," Aislin reassured.
Tara smiled again. This time, it reached her eyes. "You always know what to say to make me feel better."
"It's my special talent." Aislin smiled back. "We've still got a lot to do before Dawn gets home."
Tara leaned in and kissed Aislin's cheek before backing away. "I'll start in the kitchen."
Aislin nodded and turned back to the closet.