Return to An American Tale Chapter Sixteen



An American Tale
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Author: Spellbound
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I own nothing except 2 insane cats, fuzzy socks and and a twisted imagination.The songs used in this fic all belong to whoever wrote them and Im just borrowing them, you could sue me but it'd be pointless as I have nothing at all... the only thing of any worth I have is my girlfriend and there aint no way in Hades you're having her!!! Grr Argh!


After Riot explained the events since Willow's departure, he excused himself and went in search of a coffee machine.

"So?" Willow said, searching the deep blue eyes of the blonde. "How ya doing?"

Tara nodded slowly, "I'm ok, really worried about you. I can't believe you did that!" she admitted quietly.

Willow's face burned as fiery as her hair, "Yeah well." she shrugged of the compliment and thanks. "I promised you I'd protect you." she continued as Tara's face fell slightly at her apparent uncaring.

Taking her hand within her own, Willow gently squeezed the slightly clammy palm until Tara's eyes met her own. "Besides, I'm ok and a few days of having people cater to my every whim will be fun." she giggled.

Tara smiled, her fingers gently stroked the soft cheek of the redhead. "What about when you get home, will there be someone to wait on you there?" she asked reluctantly, her throat choked with tears in anticipation of the answer.

"I'll be ok, they'll probably keep me in for a while but when they let me out, I'll be much better and shouldn't need any help...." Willow paused when she realised that she hadn't quelled the nervousness that was evidently running through the blonde's veins. "And if I do, you can come and take care of me!" she grinned.

"You will come and stay with me when they discharge you. It's the least I can do." Tara told her firmly.

Before Willow had the chance form an argument, Riot returned without coffee but with the nurse in tow. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave now and come back in the morning!" she told them, "Ms. Rosenberg needs to rest."

Nodding their reluctant acceptance, Riot placed a single kiss on Willow's head before wishing her well and promising to stop in after his shift the next day. "Thank you, Willow. Although I wish it hadn't happened." Tara whispered as she hugged the dilapidated redhead gently. "I'll come and see you later." she promised before leaning in and placing a loving kiss on her warm. lips.

"Tara." Willow's voice stopped the blonde as she reached the door. Turning back, Tara questioned her with her eyes. "I wouldn't have done that for just anyone!" Willow told her with a smile. Grinning in return, Tara stepped into the bright corridor and, together with Riot, made her way out of the building and into the night.

"Thanks Riot!" Tara smiled as he dropped her off at her apartment building. "No worries babe." he replied with a grin. "You take care of my girl, ok?!" Tara nodded and watched as he turned his motorcycle around and drove off down the street. Inhaling deeply, the events of the night ran through Tara's mind once again, 'I can't believe she did that for me!' she thought as she pulled the door to her apartment building open and stepped inside.

As the elevator doors slid open onto her floor, Tara was lost in thought and failed to notice Julie sitting outside her door.

"God, Tara you're ok!!" she squealed, rushing down the corridor to her friend.

"Uh?"

"Snake called and said you'd gone to the hospital and I should come and get your stuff." Julie explained, "Then I went to the hospital and couldn't find you and no one was being helpful so I came back here. I figured if you weren't injured then you'd come home!"

Wrapping her friend in a hug, Tara grinned. In one night, two people had revealed, with unashamed honesty, exactly how much she meant to them and, although that had resulted in one of them enduring a hospital stay, it filled her heart.

Pulling back from the embrace, Tara opened the door to her apartment and began explaining the events of the evening to her friend.


A full moon lit up Willow's hospital room and bathed her in an eerie glow. Adrenaline still coursed through her system and she knew she had no chance of sleeping tonight. Playing the events back in her mind, she suddenly wondered why she hadn't pulled her gun. She was a sharp and deadly shot and could easily have taken him out without risk to anyone else, so why inflict this upon herself? 'You do funny things in the name of love!' her mind told her. "Is this love? Really?" she whispered, directing her question towards the window. 'Got a better reason for getting yourself stabbed?'

As Willow's mental debate threatened to spill into full blown babble, a nurse opened the door quietly. "Is everything alright?" the young woman asked. Looking over at her, Willow nodded. "It's just that I heard you talking and wanted to be sure you weren't in any pain." The nurse stepped into the room and checked the IV's attached to the redhead. "I'm ok," Willow told her, "I just can't sleep. Is there a radio or something that I could listen to?"

The nurse paused as she contemplated the question. "I don't think there's a radio that I can give you, but you can listen to my ipod if you'd like, can't guarantee there'll be anything on there you'd like." She offered sweetly. Willow nodded eagerly. "I don't mind what's on it but I'm gonna go crazy without something." she said, offering a half hearted laugh.

"Be right back."

After much searching, the nurse, a woman in her mid-twenties called Jackie returned to Willow's room, a sky blue ipod in hand. "Here you go." she said, laying the device on the small table next to Willow's bed.

Smiling her gratitude Willow said; "It's just tonight, my friend is bringing some stuff for me tomorrow."

With a smile and a nod, Jackie left Willow to search through the tunes on the ipod.

'Nope, nope, hell no! Oh my god!' Willow's mind formed an opinion on almost every track as she flicked through the songs contained on the player. Deciding in the end that it would probably be best just to play anything in any random order, she flipped to the menu and closed her eyes as she selected a tune and, with one final deep breath, she played the mystery track.

Frowning slightly at the bog orchestral introduction, Willow squinted at the display and her face melted into a grin. The tiny window informer her that she was listening to the soundtrack for 'When Harry Met Sally' and she snuggled back into her pillow and stared out the window, her thoughts filled of Tara.

It had to be you,
it had to be you,
I wandered around and finally found,
the somebody who,
could make me be true,
could make me be blue.
Or even be glad, just to be sad,
thinking of you.
Some others I've seen,
might never be mean,
might never be cross,
or try to be boss,
but they wouldn't do,
for nobody else gave me a thrill,
with all your faults I love you still.
It had to be you,
wonderful you,
it had to be you.

From outside, Jackie peered carefully through the window and smiled as she saw Willow's eyes fluttering slightly, a sure indication that sleep was fast approaching.

With a smile on her face, Willow closed her eyes and allowed the soothing tones of Harry Connick Jnr to wash away her worries and serenade the blonde and redhead who were dancing gracefully in her mind.

Some others I've seen,
might never be mean,
might never be cross,
try to be boss,
for nobody else gave me a thrill,
with all your faults I love you still.
Baby, It had to be you,
wonderful you,
it had to be you.

"Oh my god!" Julie exclaimed once again. Throughout the entirety of Tara's recount of the nights events, she had sat in stunned amazement and now that she had finished, Julie was at a loss for words. "Is she... I mean, she's going to be ok, right?" she asked as Tara returned from the kitchen with two steaming mugs of tea.

"She should be fine." Tara reassured her. "They're keeping her in for a few days in case of infection but she should be out in a few days." She couldn't suppress the grin that tickled her lips.

"I think she might be the one, Jules, I really do!" Tara sighed happily as she snuggled into the couch.

"So do I!" Julie agreed, "So do I!"


Continue to An American Tale Chapter Eighteen


Return to Story Archive
Return to Main Page