Return to Love Thy Neighbour Chapter Four



Love Thy Neighbour
CHAPTER FIVE

Author: Shai
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All the characters belong to Joss, that lucky man!


Twenty minutes later Tara was back, fresh from a swim and a cold shower, waiting with Willow for the Chinese take out that they'd ordered. Willow was explaining how much she like 'Shrek' when the food arrived. Tara quickly paid the delivery, tipping him nicely in her rush to get back to willow, and took the containers back to the room. While they ate willow filled Tara in on how she's called her director, and how sympathetic and understanding he'd been. "Of course tomorrows papers will probably read 'Willow Rosenberg Narrowly Escapes Death' since Steve will probably already have his think-tank working on a way to get the movie some free publicity with this incident" she added dryly. "Anyway, he said to call him as soon as I was up to working again. And oh, Tara, I called a close friend to tell her what had happened, and she wants to come see me. Is that ok?"

"Is that even a question? Of course your friends can come see you! Actually, there was something that I wanted to talk to you about."

She looked directly at Willow and Willow noticed that she has beautiful blue eyes. "I have to leave town for two days day tomorrow. So I thought that it'd be helpful if you had a friend come over and stay here with you."

Willow said "Hey! Tara it's cool if you have to go. I mean, I could leave too. I don't have to stay here. I mean, I could go back home and have Buffy or someone come take care of me."

"No!" Tara said firmly. "Please don't go. I made you an offer to stay here till your foot healed, and I really want you to stay. I'm feeling bad enough that I have to leave town, and I'll only feel worse if you leave."

Willow saw the look in those blue eyes ("Oh so blue" she thought) and knew that Tara meant every word she said. "Ok," she conceded. "I'll stay right here, and I'll make sure I have someone come and stay over with me".

"Great," Tara smiled. "Whoever comes can stay in the room across yours. And if there's more that one person, they could use my room upstairs, since the other rooms aren't really furnished yet."

"What are you going for anyway?" Willow asked.

"Oh, you know Martina Hingis, the tennis player?" When Willow nodded her head Tara went on, "Well she sprained her ankle pretty bad, and CNM got the exclusive to shoot her in recuperation. Since this is a biggie, the network wants me to take this one up personally, since I'm the head correspondent. Orders right from the top I believe."

"Well, I'll miss you" Willow said softly, and she knew that she meant it.


"So some stranger, even though she IS Tara McLay, tells you to stay over at her place, and you just agree? Why the hell didn't you just call me up and tell me to come and stay with you instead?" Buffy almost yelled at her oldest friend.

"Buffy she saved my life? What was I going to say? 'Oh, no thanks. I'll just hobble around till Buffy comes. In the meantime could I borrow a pair of crutches?'," Willow finished sarcastically. Ever since Buffy had arrived an hour ago she was acting like she's completely lost it. Tara had left early that morning, before Willow had even woken up, leaving behind a note that simply read...

"Didn't want to wake you, so this is good bye. Take care,
Tara."

Now Willow was feeling bad enough that she hadn't been up to say goodbye, and she really didn't need Buffy telling her about how she shouldn't have agreed to Tara's offer. "Look Buff, Tara really saved my life. The way cowboys used to in those old western movies. I trust that she wouldn't want to hurt me. Don't ask me why. And I also believe that she isn't being so nice to me just because I'm her famous neighbour. Can't you just trust my judgement?"

Buffy stared at Willow's solemn expression for a moment before she gave in. "Oh, alright. I trust your judgement Will. But look, if you expect me to stay here then you better be prepared for the raid on your clothes, since you didn't have the sense to call me and tell me that I was going to be staying here!"

Willow smiled and nodded her head, before sticking her tongue out when Buffy asked her "Were your brains in your ankle by any chance? Kidding! Ok now how about some grub? I'm famished!"

"Well Tara's just moved in, so nothing's really set up. Take out sound ok?"

Buffy nodded her head. While they were going through the menu cards that Tara had on her fridge, Buffy remarked "So she saved you like in one of those movies you say? You mean like one of those knight in shining armour flicks?"

Willow nodded her head, thinking "I couldn't have put it better myself!"


Continue to Love Thy Neighbour Chapter Six


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