Author: terra21

Willow looked over her shoulders one at a time then taped the piece of paper in her hands to the wooden door. She took a step back to read the notice - "OUT OF ORDER." A grin as wide as the mouth of the Mississippi River spread across her face as she thought about the evening she had planned.

She and Tara had met one year ago. Within moments of laying eyes on the shy girl, Willow knew that there was a unique connection between them. She wasn't expecting the bond she developed with Tara, nor was she looking for the love that subsequently fell into her lap. The blonde had come into her life and captured a special place in her heart. She had found a lover in Tara that she wasn't searching for, it just happened, and it made her happier than any other time in her life. Today was the day to honor her endearing girlfriend, it was their first Anniversary.

Stepping onto the student filled sidewalk at UCS, Willow blended with the crowd while in route to her last class of the day. She could hardly wait to get ready and pick up Tara. If she were the 'skipping class' kind of gal she would have done so today. But, it was Literature and she absolutely couldn't ditch the only class in which she had an A-! Therefore, she hurried onto class to sit and watch the clock drag.

"Be ready at seven," Willow had told her, "it's a surprise."

I just hate surprises, Tara thought. Why couldn't we go to dinner and then come home? Or skip dinner and stay home. After all, that's where the good stuff takes place. The blonde smiled a sexy half grin thinking about the 'good stuff.'

As she brushed her hair, Tara began to reminisce about the last year with Willow. One year. One year. They had been together for one year; she couldn't believe it. She sat her hairbrush down on the dresser and pulled open one of the wooden drawers. Taking out her makeup, she started to apply her eye shadow. She was so lucky to be with Willow. Every day Willow showed her in some way how much she loved her, whether it was a simple kiss in the morning before the redhead hurried off to class or a slow sensual caress while they lay in the bed and studied. She picked up the rouge brush and dabbed it in the palette, then blew the excess powder off the bristles. She knew the moment of their first silent touch one year ago that they would be much more than friends.

Tara glanced at the clock, 6:50. She'll be here any minute. Her lover was always early. .

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Tara smiled sweetly, she knew her lover all too well.

The blonde closed the dresser drawer, stood to check her outfit in the mirror, then moved to the door. Her heart pitter-patted wildly, Willow still had that kind of effect on her, even a year into their relationship. She pulled the door open to find her cute little redhead smiling over a dozen red roses.

"Happy Anniversary!" Willow said enthusiastically as she rolled up onto her tippytoes.

Tara took the bouquet that was outstretched before her, "Oh, Willow, you didn't have to do this baby."

"Oh yes I did. It's a standard among those who are in coupledom. Flowers, candy," Willow pulled a box of assorted chocolates from behind her back, "and kisses. They're all a requirement on annivers-" Tara pulled the redhead into the dorm room and placed a soft kiss on her lips to stop the babble before it gained momentum. She released a thoroughly appreciative redhead to tell her, "Happy Anniversary Willow," in a low voice. The blonde then lowered her head to look at her lover through heavy eyelids. Willow's breath caught in her throat, Tara still had that kind of effect on her, even a year into their relationship. Her emerald green eyes locked with her lover's blue ones, "ready?"

"Ready," Tara replied without looking away.

They walked along the sidewalk, keeping a wary eye to the shadows for lurking creatures of the night.

"So, where are we going?" Tara inquired for the twentieth time that week.

Willow took her girlfriend's hand and swung it back and forth, "it's a surprise," she answered for the twentieth time that week.

"Hmpf," Tara snorted.

"Much more of that and you won't get the surprise after the surprise little lady," Willow threatened as she stopped in front of her dormitory.

"Fine," Tara said shortly as she turned to face her girlfriend. "What? What are you doing?" She batted away the blindfold Willow was trying to put across her eyes now.

"I told you, it's a surprise. I don't want you to see until we get there," the redhead pouted.

Tara dropped her hands, "ok." On one hand she loved that cute little pout and on the other she hated that she had brought it to her lover's face.

Willow's face lit up with delight as she proceeded to wrap the black handkerchief around Tara's eyes. She was so excited she could hardly stand it any longer. She put an arm around Tara's shoulders and held the blonde's upper arm with the other as she guided them up the steps of Stevenson Hall.

As they approached the door with the 'Out of Order' sign on it Willow brought Tara to a halt. "Stay here," she let go of Tara to open the wooden door. The redhead scanned the room then whispered a simple spell to ignite the candles scattered throughout. She returned to the blonde and eased the girl through the doorway, stopping them again while she shut door.

Tara wondered silently what on earth her girlfriend had planned. She thought they were still in the dormitory, but they hadn't gone upstairs. Faintly she smelled scented candles burning. Suddenly, she felt Willow's fingertips on the back of her head, loosening the blindfold.

Willow fidgeted a moment while she looked over to the blanket she had laid out then slowly untied the knot in the handkerchief. She let the blindfold gradually fall from Tara's face.

Tara smiled at the sight before her. She furrowed her brow as she looked to her lover. How sweet can she possibly be? Her eyes watered as Willow stepped up to kiss her, "I love you," the redhead whispered.

Willow moved to sit on the blanket in the middle of the room as Tara gazed around the laundry room where they had first cast together. The room was filled with candles, from the washers and dryers to the window ledges. The blonde looked back to the blanket where her lover sat; it was covered in memorabilia from the first year of their relationship.

"It's all of our Firsts together," Willow patted the spot next to her for Tara to come sit, "this room is where we first touched to cast together."

Tara moved to sit beside her lover; she picked up a charm as she kneeled. Willow spoke, "That's the charm you carried on our first..."

"...date," Tara finished her sentence. She gazed around the blanket and let a loving finger drag across their first picture together.

Willow plopped a blue and white baseball T-shirt in Tara's lap. "Remember this?" The redhead asked.

Tara nodded, "I was wearing it the night we first kissed. You came by after you left The Bronze. We stayed up all night studying spells." Her blue eyes caught her lover's, "I love you so much. Thank you for this."

Willow blinked and smiled, "I love you too. OOoooo, I have something else for you, this isn't really a first but it kinda reminded me of our first...well, the first time we made love." The redhead pulled a piece of paper from her pocket, "It's a poem by Adrienne Rich. I found it while researching for my literature class." Tara blushed as Willow began to read:

"My mouth hovers across your breasts
in the short grey winter afternoon
in this bed we are delicate
and touch so hot with joy we amaze ourselves
tough and delicate we play rings
around each other our daytime candle burns..."

"It's beautiful." Tara leaned in and gave the redhead a long kiss.

"It's kinda sensual. The poem, that is, well the kiss was too but that was a given." Willow rambled for a bit, "It refers to the daytime, where as our first time was at night. I thought you might like it, but I wasn't for sure."

"I love it."

"You don't think it's corny, do you?" The redhead's voice pitched up high.

"No, it's better than something like:

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I'm so gay,
and I'm glad you are too."

Tara giggled at her wit, but then realized it wasn't really that amusing. Willow shook her head as she wrapped the blonde girl in a huge hug.

After a few silent moments of sweet caresses, Tara pulled back to capture the redhead in another kiss, this one more passionate. The need to show Willow just how much she loved her was overpowering. Her soft voluptuous lips covered Willow's smaller ones and worked with intensity to draw stifled moans from the redhead.

Willow returned the hungry advances of her lover fervently. She tried to push the blonde back on to the blanket but met resistance. Tara was in control. The blonde maneuvered the redhead to the floor with little struggle and straddled her.

Their kiss deepened as tongues twisted and delved into each other's mouths. Tara grinded her body against Willow's in a smooth rhythm that the redhead kept time with achingly. The redhead managed to work her hands under the blonde's shirt to take hold of a breast, which pulled Tara from their passionate kiss gasping for air, "Ahhhh, oh baby," she moaned into Willow's chest.

Tap. Tap. Tap. "Will? Tara?" A muffled voice came from the doorway.

Startled and breathing raggedly, the couple withdrew from their heated embrace.

"Willow? It's Buffy, can I come in?"

The girls cocked an eyebrow at one another and tried to smooth down things that had gotten rumpled.

"I knew I shouldn't have told her, but I had to tell somebody or I would have burst," the redhead admitted as she clambered up to the door. She opened the door to find the slayer all tricked-out; weapons were hanging and protruding from all about the small girl's form.

"Um, sorry to interrupt," Buffy apologized as she entered the laundry room, "but, we're in need of some witchy mojo."

Tara stood quickly, "What's the matter?"

"Just a demon, Giles says you two should have no problem with the spell." Buffy said confidently.

"Buffy, can't it wait until later?" Willow stiffened her neck and jerked her head twice towards the door. "We're kinda in the middle of something here."

"Don't worry, it won't take long Will. You'll have plenty of time later for some hot girl on girl action," the slayer blurted as she turned to walk out the door.

Tara and Willow stood, completely embarrassed, with dropped jaws and big eyes looking at Buffy's back as she left the laundry room.