Author: Dragkinggoddess
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't even own a car, how could I ever own anything like Willow and Tara? Written respectfully and unprofessionally (no $$ sought) based on characters created by and owned by Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
Note: Thoughts in italics.

Lynn finished off the whip cream and chocolate drizzle on the mochas. As she turned to place them on Tara's tray, she couldn't help but laugh. "Honey, you can't go out there like that." She took the tray from her co-worker's hand. "You go clean up, I'll deliver these." She balanced the tray in one hand and pointed towards the ladies room with the other. Tara bowed her blushing face and silently walked away.

She sat listening to her best friend ramble about the events of the previous evening. Buffy was trying to piece together the narrative, and the boys. “So, Steven was really cute, but Tim was much nicer, and did you check out the muscles on him?"

Willow was trying hard to focus on her friend's rambling. Her mind and her eyes kept wandering into the restaurant through the large front windows though. She saw the mystery girl disappear into the back. Oh no, where is she going? I've just got to see her again. I mean, wait, what do I mean? Her fears were confirmed when another waitress appeared with a try of mochas.

Buffy didn't even stop for air with the arrival of their drinks. "And that's when Steven started with the whole beer-can-crushing-on-forehead thing. I mean how uncivilized is that? Maybe his cuteness doesn't overshadow his doofiness..." Willow still could only grasp a few words at a time and turned the rest of her attention to the drink delivery. The new waitress was grinning strangely. She placed Buffy's drink in front of her first, then set Willow's down on the table. Above Buffy's continued man-musings, the waitress caught Willow's eye and whispered, "It's on the house, care of your waitress, Tara." She turned and entered the building.

Seeing Willow's eyebrows crinkle, Buffy finally stopped speaking. "What did she say?"

"Oh, nothing, I mean, just that our drinks are free."

"Bonus for us! Hey, wait, why?" Buffy looked around as if an explanation was to be found in their fellow-diners. Eventually giving up, she sipped eagerly, ignoring the temperature of the beverage.

After a few more minutes of sipping and chatting, Buffy stood. "You ready to go? I have sooo much work to do today. I'm just gonna hit the ladies room before we go."

Willow had not been paying a bit of attention to her friend. All she could think about was the girl, no, her name is Tara. It's a beautiful name. She hadn't heard Buffy's last statement, but saw her rise and followed suit.

"I think the bathroom is back there." Buffy pointed towards the back of the place. "You coming with?"

AH, bathroom. "Yes, yes, bathroom is good." She followed her friend into the restaurant. Immediately upon entering, Willow scanned the interior for Tara. I don't know why I'm looking, I won't know what to say to her even if I do see her. I mean, she's a she, I, I,...

Willow stopped dead. I'm attracted to her.

The thought shocked her mostly because she knew it was absolutely true, and also because for the first time, her mind was clear, no babbling. The thought stuck as is, no more to be said. Shock subsided rapidly to a knowing calm. It wasn't even a question anymore.

She was attracted to Tara. A girl.

Not just a girl, she thought as she stood, the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, and not a girl, a beautiful woman.

Slowly, and with a silly grin on her face, she started walking towards the bathroom again. Buffy was at the door of the single-occupant room waiting for the current occupant to vacate. After a few seconds, the door opened and Buffy squeezed in quickly around the girl. The girl stumbled out of the way and backed into Willow.

She turned. Blue eyes met green. Both women suddenly felt the temperature in the room rise.