North and South...and West
by Rin
Drama Ensues...
[reviews]
Two months later in Washington...
Willow was doing well in her position, and Sam had been dropping hints that his young comrade should run in the election with him as his vice president. The redhead was excited but also knew the law. She was too young...plus, being in the public's eye like that would surely bring the attention of her brothers and mothers. The scandal that she was really a girl would be released, and Sam's career would be ruined. She couldn't do that to Grant. He was too important in the upcoming election, so she calmly declined, stating that she was flattered, and under other circumstances, she would love to be his running mate.
When Willow told Buffy about Sam's proposal, the blonde had practically attacked her then and there. To think...Buffy's mother was going to make her marry a man she didn't love, who was a potential candidate's son...and here she was married to the one she DID love that her mother tried to prevent her from marrying, and sure enough, Willow gets offered a position with the most likely candidate.
It was a Saturday afternoon, and they decided to take a trip through the market. There was going to be a ball in Sam's honor this weekend. Buffy wanted to get a new dress, since it would be Willow's 'coming out' party, as well. Sam was going to introduce Will as his second in command. This would be their first ball here in Washington. They'd been too busy settling in, and making love almost constantly.
"I can't believe it. Private Rosenberg?" A young woman approached the two, and almost took Will in a big hug.
"Ms. Osborne! Tara!" Willow couldn't believe it. She hadn't heard from Daniel Osborne, or his wife since the beginning of the war. Oz was one of her and Xander's bunkmates at the Point. "How are you?"
"I'm doing fine. It's good to see you, Private." Tara gave Will the once over. He still was as handsome as ever, only he had more of a glow to him than she remembered.
"Actually, it's General now." Will couldn't believe the luck. "How's Daniel? Are you living in Washington now?"
"Oh...you didn't hear..." Tara looked sad and taken aback at that. Her eyes seemed tortured. "Daniel was in an accident at the factory last month. He..."
"I'm sorry. He was a good man." Will looked sad. So Oz had made it through the war...only to come home, and get killed at work. The irony was uncanny... "How are you holding up?"
"I've barely left the house this past month. I rarely see anybody...but I'm so happy to have run into you. What luck..." That's when Tara noticed the gorgeous blonde on Will's arm...and the two matching bands on their fingers. "I'm sorry. Forgive my manners. I've not been myself lately. I'm Tara Maclay Osborne."
"Understandable under the circumstances." Buffy held out her hand. There was something about the way this woman looked at Will that made her blood boil in jealousy. "Buffy."
"Oh, forgive me. I must've forgotten my own manners." Will shook out of her reverie. "This is my wife, Buffy."
"Glad to see somebody finally tamed ol' Rosey cheeks here." Tara smirked at the inside joke. She hadn't smirked in so long if felt like.
"Rosey cheeks?" It was Buffy's turn to smirk.
"I blush a lot...you know that." In fact, said blush was happening now. "I'd forgotten about that nickname...and for good reason."
"Well...it sure had the ladies swooning over you. They all thought Will here was the most gorgeous man...and for good reason." Tara smirked again. She remembered being one of those ladies herself.
"I met Tara while I was at West Point. She was studying to be a nurse in the town, and there were dances. That sort of thing." Willow started to explain to her wife. "Xander and I bunked with Daniel. These two were married somewhere between third and fourth year, I believe."
"I had the biggest crush on Will but he would always avoid talking to the ladies. It drove us all wild."
"Is that so?" Buffy arched an eyebrow, and the redhead could tell. There'd be quite a conversation later.
"The stories I could tell you about him, though I'm sure you've heard them already. Whenever he does start talking, he has the cutest babble." Tara couldn't help herself. She was blushing and ducking her head like she used to back in the day. If it weren't for Daniel, she would still have swooned over Will...even though there was hope at one point.
"Well...I always love to hear stories about my husband." Buffy made sure to emphasize the words MY with HUSBAND. Her jealous streak was running wild, and Willow was on a mad blush rush.
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"Tara seemed nice." Buffy had been a little weary of the girl. She didn't like the way the bustier blonde would stare at Will throughout lunch. They wound up inviting Tara to lunch with them in town, so that Will could catch up, and hear all about the fate of one of her closest friends at the Point.
"She is. There's not a mean bone in her body." Willow turned around from pulling on her nightshirt, and noticed Buffy's dejected face. Walking over to her, the redhead took the brush from the blonde's hands, and stroked the locks. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Buffy wouldn't make eye contact in the mirror.
"Something's bothering you. What is it?" It was obvious from Buffy's repeated 'nothing' that the redhead would have to guess. "Is it because of what Tara said? About there being lots of other girls?"
"No..." Again, Buffy was being obvious that this was really the case. "Okay...so yeah. I mean...you are gorgeous, Willow. Why wouldn't there be other girls? And...the way Tara looked at you today? I don't know...it just made me so..."
"You're jealous." Willow smirked, and finished brushing Buffy's golden locks. Placing her hands on her wife's shoulders, she ran her fingers through the silky strands.
"Yes..." Buffy pouted. "I just...I guess since you said I was your first that I assumed you never had anybody interested in you. That was silly of me. I mean...you're the perfect man!"
"Um...not exactly, if you'll recall." Willow smirked, and they got under the covers together. "I am missing something very important to qualify for that title."
"Well...I happen to love that about you, too. I think I would've loved you even as a girl."
"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." Willow pulled Buffy into the tightest hug possible, and accepted the kiss in return. "I'm sorry I never told you about the others. I was just never interested. I didn't think I'd be allowed to fall in love, so I tried to avoid it...then, I meet you and it's impossible to avoid. I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you at the dinner table that first night."
"You were quite fetching in William's clothes...that were almost falling off you completely. If you hadn't held on, I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one to see that you're not quite the man everyone thinks..." Buffy smirked into another kiss.
"Is that so, Jealous girl?"
"Hey! You were jealous of Riley!"
"Well...he had everything I didn't!"
"Yet you have the one thing he wants and can never have..." Buffy kissed Willow again, and pushed them down into the bed. "Me."