Author: Missocki
Summary: Buffy sets up Willow and Tara on a blind date.

"Oh, c'mon, it'll be fun."

"I don't know... I mean the last date, well, bleh, she was, to be kind, dumber than a box of rocks, hammers, and single-celled organisms.

"In my defense, I had just met her once-"

"So, you, being so kind, decided 'she's perfect for my best friend'?!"

"Ummmm," she coughed, "You see I-"

"Or the one before that? The Klepto?"

"I'm sure she wasn't that bad-"

"Not That Bad! She stole my debit card from the table, while I was watching, and then asked me for my pin number!"

"Hee-hee- whoops?" she offered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"or the one before that who-"

"Okay, Okay, I get it. The others were B-A-D, but this one is different."

"Oh, you mean you found a sane one?"

"Yeah, mostly. Err, seriously though, I've know this girl very well-"

"How well?"

"She's my best friend- uh, my other best friend. And she's in town and recently gay, apparently, and I just have this feeling you two will hit if off. Please, please just trust me on this one?"

"Wait, Buffy, y-you mean W-willow?"

"Yeah, I know you guys haven't met-but you all about her, and she you, so, what's the problem?"

"But she's your best friend-"

"And yours by association, so c'mon, Tara, please?" she pouted, knowing for well her friend couldn't say no.

"I-I-I, er, but-fine! However, I want you to promise me one thing."

"What? Anything."

"This will be the last blind date you set me up on, deal?" She held out her pinky finger for the seal on the deal.

"Deal!" Buffy pinky swore. "But I think this will go wonderfully, especially because you both need to get laid."

"BUFFY!" Tara exclaimed in surprise. 'Just because that's true doesn't mean she needs to proclaim it to the world.'

"Yeesh, I'm only kidding. Lighten up! So, anyway, tomorrow night, at that little Greek place around the corner, at eight o' clock."

"Can I see a picture of her so I know what she looks like? I don't recall you having ever shown me one."

"Sure, just give me a sec." Buffy got up from her couch in her living room and went upstairs into her bedroom.

Tara reached over to the coffee table next to her and grabbed her tea. As she took a sip she took a deep breath. 'Willow? The Willow? Wow, this going to be interesting. I know that she's a good person, at least according to Buffy, but will we even get along? Will she even like me? What does she look like anyway? All I know is that she has red hair. Yeah, but I like redheads...' Tara grinned crookedly as her thoughts wandered.

"Whatcha smiling 'bout?" Buffy asked and she sat back down with a photo album in her lap.

Tara shook her head and giggled, lightly, "Nothing, so um, a picture please?"

"Yeah, right," Buffy opened up the album, and flipped though a few pictures before stopping. "Here's one of her just a few months ago at Xander and Anya's wedding." She handed Tara the book.

Tara's jaw dropped and she was at a lost for words. 'She's so beautiful, I mean, that green dress is hideous, but she's still radiant. I bet she'd look even better without the dress on,' her eyes widened, "hmmm."

"Did you just 'hmmm' there Tara?" Buffy asked with a satisfied grin on her face.

"What?!" Tara face gave the impression of a deer caught in the headlights in the middle of the night. "Me?" she shook her head, "Nooooo. Not me, nope, nada."

"Riiiiight, and I'm a superhero!"

"Oh, well, would you look at the time, I have to go get ready for Will- um my date, tomorrow. Huh, bye!" Tara grabbed her purse and ran out of the house.

The next day Tara spent combing though every piece of clothing in her closet and choosing one outfit, only to toss it aside and pick another. The first one was simple enough, a long flowing skirt with tie-dyed swirls and a flower embroidered white peasant top. "What is it, 1976 now?" she asked herself as she looked in the mirror. "We can't have that." She kept trying on more outfits for the next hour until she found the perfect outfit. It was her favorite skirt, long, dark blue, light and flowy. She paired it with a lighter blue thin top, and matching jacket. "Perfect, unlike that last one that made my ass look like a small aircraft could land on it." She shivered. Deciding to just leave her hair down and over her shoulders, she checked her makeup, grabbed her purse and left. Being only a five minute drive to the restaurant, she opted for to walk. The sky was clear and some of the early evening stars were starting to show themselves, twinkling sparsely in the moonlight. 'I have the strangest feeling that this night is going to be one I never forget,' she thought as she reached the restaurant. She opened the door and to her surprise, Willow was waiting just inside of the doors for her.

As Willow stood up her eyes met with Tara's. For the second time in two days, Tara was at a loss for words. 'Huhhhh,' she swallowed, 'girl pretty, pretty eyes girl have,' Willow was just as quiet, but she too held her gaze, 'breathe, it easy.' Tara took a calming breath, and tried to regain some composure. 'Say something, something witty, or charming, or at all!' "H-hi W-willow," Tara said, barely audible. 'That's it?! Hi Willow?! And I stuttered?! The award for the savviest moment of the year goes too-'

"Hi Tara, it's lovely to meet you," Willow offered her hand, which Tara gladly accepted. As their hands touched, Tara felt the strangest tingle in her palm that spread up her arm and down her spine. 'That was odd, nice, but odd.'

"Well, our table is already ready, so let's go sit down."

"Okay." Willow led Tara to a slightly darkened corner of the quiet restaurant, and let her pick the side of the corner booth she wanted.

"I hope this place is okay, I wasn't sure where to go, but Buffy said you like Greek food, and please say she's right."

"She was- er is. This is actually my favorite place, I come here when I can." Tara smile grew when she noted the growth in Willow's as well.

"Good, so, umm, on a scale of one to ten how nervous were you before you got here, and how nervous are you now?"

"Twenty before I got here, and a three now, only because I'm scared I'll embarrass myself."

"Thank God, I thought it just might be me, you know with the whole nervous thing, you wouldn't believe the wreck I was before I got here, I'm talking it took me hours just to pick this outfit, I must have gone though everything in my closet and Buffy's too, And I should probably stop talking now. Well, so much for embarrassing myself."

"It's okay, really. I was enjoying the listening part."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and I went through everything in my closet too, heck, this outfit was the thing I hated the least, so-"

"You're kidding, I think you're beautiful, the picture Buffy showed me did you no justice, I-er, yeah," Willow looked down at her menu, a blush spreading over her face, "umm, so what are you going to get?"

'You,' "I'm not sure yet." They both looked over the menu for a few minutes before placing their orders. As Willow gave the waiter her order, Tara's thoughts began to swim once again. 'Did she really call me beautiful? Wow, I like her. I think for once I'm going to thank Buffy for setting me up.'

"Tara, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, whatever you would like."

"How many blind dates has Buffy set you up on?"

"Too many."

"You too huh?"

"Oh Yeah, a girl who couldn't had sticker fingers if she had dunked them in honey, an airhead, a male impersonator, an ex-girlfriend, and a dominatrix, for starters. What about you?"

"Well, there was the selfish guy, the narcissistic model, the man who was deeper in the closet than me at the time, this one guy who believed that he had been abducted by aliens-"

"Aliens?"

"Dominatrix?"

"Yeah, Buffy has picked some real nuts in the past."

"In the past? So does that mean that I'm not one of the insane ones?"

"Quirky, but definitely not insane."

"How I'm a quirky?"

"Well, the babble for one thing."

"I can try to stop-"

"Please don't. Just because it's quirky doesn't mean I don't like it." She grinned at Willow, as Willow's face lit up. "And besides, I've heard some things from the great matchmaker. Some things like different colored pens..."

"Hey, I still believe that that was the best way to go about things. And hey, colors are pretty."

"I thought is was neat actually."

"Are you serious? Neat. Well, I remember Buffy telling me something about you being able to read Tarot cards, is that true?"

"Yes, it is actually. It's something I taught myself in high school."

"Like poems?"

"She told you about that?"

"I wanted to choose words that even you would have to be changed by. Take the word of my pulse, loving and ordinary. Send out your signals, hoist your dark scribbled flags-"

"But take my hand. Wow, how did you know that 'Implosions' was my favorite Adrienne Rich poem?"

"Actually, I didn't. I just wanted to learn one that I reminded me of you. Or at least what I thought of you when I first saw your picture awhile back."

Tara blushed and looked down at the table in front of her, her hair creating a veil between her and Willow. 'I can't believe she went to that kind of trouble for me. She hadn't even met me yet. I-'

"Tara are you o-"

"Here are your dinners ladies." Tara looked up to see the source of the familiar voice.

"Buffy, what in the name of the goddess are you doing here?" she asked, stunned to see Buffy here. She took a slip of her iced tea.

"I'm with Tara, what Are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just wanted to see how you too were getting along, if you liked each other, or gave each other organisms yet." Any tea that was in Tara's mouth was now being sprayed into the open air, and onto Buffy. Gasping Tara chocked out, "Excuse me?" Willow just dropped her head onto the table.

"What did I say?" Buffy feigned innocence as she wiped the tea from her face, but Willow knew better.

"You have being hanging around Anya too much. That's it! I'm putting my foot down, you are not to see that Anya girl any more!"

"Funny Will."

"I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back," with that, Tara stood up from the table and went into the restroom. She shut the door and slumped her back against the wall facing the mirror. Sliding down, she sat on the floor with knees pulled into her chest.

"Damn it Buffy! The one date that doesn't suck and you have to ruin it! And it was going so well too, I like her and she likes me, well I think she likes me anyway. And Gods she's hot, not to mention smart and sweet." She stood up and gathered her resolve. She stood up and splashed some cold water on her face trying to cool down her burning checks.

Tara left the bathroom and returned to the table, seeing only Willow sitting there. "Where's Buffy?"

"She left. But she says she's sorry about what she said. I really don't know what's gotten into her lately."

"Her boyfriend?" Tara laughed at her little quip. Willow looked at her strangely. 'Oookay, so that's not as funny as I thought,' she thought as she quit laughing. "So why don't we eat now?" They began to eat their meals, sharing small talk about the little things, like favorite movies, songs, and the like.

"Wow, this food is amazing, no wonder you eat here often," Willow exclaimed after finishing her meal.

"I know, and I have to say that this is the best meal I've ever had here, though I can't say whether it's the food or the company, though I'm sure it's the latter."

"I agree completely." They caught other's gaze once again for a few minutes, before being interrupted by the waiter.

"Ladies, your meals have been paid for, and the other lady has left a note for you." He handed it to Willow who read it aloud.

"It says: 'Dear Willow and Tara, I'm sorry for being so crass. I'm sure I've embarrassed Tara more than the time I spilled my fruit punch on her cream pants in the mall, or Willow more than when accidentally pants her in homeroom. Well, in order to make this up to you guys, I have paid for your dinners. So do you guys still love me? Love, Buffy.'"

"I can't believe she brought that up," Tara shook her head.

"I won't ask if you don't," Willow offered kindly.

"Check, repressing embarrassing stories."

"Well m'lady, are you ready to go home?"

"Only if you walk with me."

"Nothing would make me happier." They gathered up their purses and jackets and left the eatery hand-in-hand.

The evening was cool and the sky was clear and the moon was bright and full. The walk itself was all too short it seemed to Tara before she reached her door.

"Well, Will, I've had a lovely evening," Tara stated simply, squeezing Willow's hand lightly.

"Me too, one of the best I've ever had. Good night Tara sweet dreams." Willow kissed Tara's hand and turned to walk away, before Tara reached out and pulled her back.

"You forgot something Willow." Willow turned back to face her.

"What?" Willow asked, curious as to what she might have forgotten.

"This," Tara wet her lips and kissed Willow sweetly. Willow didn't pull back but rather leaned in. Needing air they eventually pulled apart. 'Wow.' "Would you like to come in for some coffee?" Tara asked hoping she would agree.

"More than anything."

As Tara turned the key in the lock, she looked over her shoulder to see Willow's smiling face looking at her sweetly.

'Thanks Buffy.'