Fic: Songs For A Mix Tape

[unionjill30]

Kasey: I love that line myself. Many thanks to High Fidelity for that one. Great movie. I’m sure you’d agree. I’ll try to keep the fun stuff coming and get ready for more characters.

Willster: I’m glad I’ve covered the bases with all the stuff you like. Don’t worry. I’ll keep writing.

Washi: Don’t worry about the details of the vacation. I really don’t want to get into all that. Plus, I personally hate Florida, so the chances of me writing that all out are slim to none. They will be together though. Soonish. We just have some stuff to get through first.

nika: I feel good knowing that you find Tara as a musician believable. I was worried that it would seem too far fetched. I’m working on some quirky dates and smoochies tales. Hopefully they’re up to par.

Kita830: I’d hoped everyone would like the new characters. So you picked up on “Liam,” huh? Thanks to Garner for that one. He informed me that Angel’s name had been Liam. I had no idea. I guess you learn something new everyday. As for that “necessary talk”… we’ll get there eventually. It’s going to take some time though. I hope you have the patience .

xita: I’m into the long courtships myself. I think I must be old fashioned like that or something. I’m not a big fan of when people meet and everything is immediately blissful and they’re in love. I get that voice that screams, “But they just met!” I want the girls to know each other before it gets all serious. You seem to be very intuitive about the vacation. Don’t worry though. It’ll be okay.

Rainbow Warrior 189: Thanks for reading so far. The update will be soon. I’m planning for Sunday, just to give you something definitive.

willntlover: I’m glad you’re liking the characters, especially Kim. She’s fun to write. Kim is actually my roommate from sophomore year of college, and she really is extremely quirky in real life. I think she enjoys the fact that I’ve made her a character in a story. There will be more of her to come, and she’ll probably only become more odd as the story progresses.

the vamp nurd: Actually, if you’ll reread that section you’ll see that Tara wasn’t the one with the courage to call. It was Kim’s pushy attitude that got the phone in her hand. Tara’s still nervous as hell. She’ll get over it though.

JustSkipIt: Glad to hear you’re liking it so far. I agree with you about the importance of finding out information about each other in order to meet again. I think that newspaper you’re talking about would drive me crazy as well. Last names and making future plans are a must. You had me confused there for a moment though about finding out the name of Tara’s band. I was sure I hadn’t put it in there yet and had to reread to figure it out, but I’m almost positive the name hasn’t been written in yet. That should come later. I find that line about Kim ironic as well, but it did make me laugh a little writing it. I think Kim could use a little more of the cleansing breaths and a little less of the smoky lungs. That’s a personal, off topic opinion though, so I’ll be stopping now.

littlecrazy80: The update will be soon. I promise.

Willow Rocks: I’m happy to know you’re liking this and wanting more. There will be. More that is. P.S. The dancing banana is kinda creepy. But who am I to judge? I have a lawn gnome outside an igloo as my avatar.

Kiwigrrrl: Hey, I’m fine. Work sucks. How are you? I’m glad you’re liking this and the musical side. For me, everything has a musical side. It’s rather unhealthy really. Maybe there’s a medication for it somewhere. I should look into that.

When You Were Mine: Thanks for reading and liking it. More soon.

willowsgirl: Wow. I have knowledge of good music. Thanks for that compliment. I just have knowledge of the music I think is good though. Some people might not think it’s good. I try not to talk to those people. Heh, just kidding. I’m glad you like the story so far.

WillowMcclay6: I take it quirky, cute, and odd is a good combination, and I’m pleased to know I have that for you. I’m glad you like it. More coming soon to a Pens thread near you.

wiccanwiggle: The update will be soon. Sunday 3pm Eastern/2pm Central. Or sometime close to that. It depends on when I decide to crawl out of bed.

mochafiend22: All the bouncy people are making me seasick. If I promise an update this weekend will they stop and help me get rid of the vomity feeling in my stomach?

Kim (looking at her car encased in snow): I bet it's warm in there. Me: Probably. You know, like when you build a snow fort and it's warm inside even though it's cold outside. Kim: Yeah, like igloos. It's like the igloo effect. Us (realization dawning): Igloo Effect. Dude, that is so the name of our band!

[Stroke of Luck]

Hi Sarah



Sorry for my silly questions i havent read the summary I should have done that stupid me



I totaly love your story Its just to cute to see them both in love



Oh and Metzger what a name for a dog...hehe first i thought i read wrong but well it was really metzger. ehm why that name????



Next update follows soon???



Cu

SoL/Natti



You'll follow your heart and don't worry about me."

"You're part of my heart."

Gabrielle and Xena in "Ulysses

[JustSkipIt]

Hey, that's so funny. I read it and then read again to see if actually said the name of the band. When I didn't see it I assumed that she said it "off camera." In other words that she said the name but that it wasn't quoted. How funny that you meant it that way. Still both girls got the other's last name so I think that's great. I wish Tara had left a message because you know Willow would have called to check messages and called Tara back in like 10 seconds. Too cute. Can't wait for an update.



Also since it's a mix tape fic, I'm kind of assuming 10-12 parts? Debra

---"The simplest and most popular cosmological model today predicts that you have a twin in a galaxy about 10 to the 1028 meters from here. This distance is so large that it is beyond astronomical, but that does not make your doppelgänger any less real." - Scientific American

[unionjill30]

More Replies:



Stroke of Luck – Don’t worry. You’re question wasn’t silly. It was a simple mistake. As for Metzger… that’s an easy enough story. My friend Headley (whom I mentioned in my thanks) has a dog named Metzger. Her husband Justin named him after Mike Metzger, the Godfather of Freestyle Moto Cross. I love that dog a lot, hence the naming of the dog in the story after him.

JustSkipIt – 10-12 parts? That would be kind of short. I’m actually not putting a limit on the number of parts right now, but if I kept it within how many songs I could fit on a mix tape, it would be well into the 20’s or even the early 30’s depending on my song choices. A CD fits 80 minutes of music and a cassette tape fits 90 minutes. Songs usually range from 2-4 minutes on average, so as you can see I could cram a lot of songs in. My personal collection of mix tapes (which are actually mix CDs, but who cares about a name?) generally contain at least 30 songs each. The most I’ve fit is 37. I’m kind of proud of that one, though it has nothing on the Fat Wreck Chords compilation Short Music For Short People that contains 99 tracks. It’s really no contest when the competition has songs that are only about 30 seconds long though. Anyway, I think I’m talking too much, as I usually do, so I’ll shut up now. I hope I make some sort of sense to you.





Title: Songs For A Mix Tape

Author: Sarah (unionjill30)

Email: unionjill_30@yahoo.com

Rating: PG - PG13ish?

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters from ME, and really I don’t own the other characters so much either. Though Kim would like to think she owns me.

Feedback: Yes please.



Track 3: Sell My Old Clothes, I’m Off To Heaven by Saves The Day



In Florida Willow, Buffy, and Liam had an extremely relaxing week. The three sun-bathed on the beach every day and allowed themselves to just have a good time. By the end of the week, Buffy and Liam were incredibly tan. With Willow’s fair complexion, she lathered on lotion to prevent burning which only allowed her to get a small amount of a tan, so she looked pale in comparison to the other two.



During the entire week, Willow didn’t set foot in the ocean. She loved the beach, but she had a terrible fear of water when she couldn’t see the bottom. It stemmed from a fear of all of the scary stuff that lurked in the ocean. Despite Buffy’s coaxing, she remained firmly rooted in the dry area of the sand reading and listening to CDs. By the end of the week, she’d had nearly enough of the gritty stuff and was ready to go home. Not to mention, she was looking forward to attempting to run into Tara again.



Their flight landed on Tuesday evening in Los Angeles. Liam planned on picking Metzger up the following day after work, so they were able to drive straight through to Sunnydale and home.



Once they arrived at home, Buffy and Liam retired to their bedroom for the evening, while Willow went upstairs to check her email and her answering machine. There was a message from her mother about the importance of sunscreen that had been recorded on the previous Wednesday not too long after they had left for the airport. She had to laugh out loud at that one. Her mother was always lecturing her about weird things like sunscreen and eating properly even though she wasn’t a child anymore. There were a few other miscellaneous messages. As she scrolled through her caller ID she came across an unfamiliar name. Maureen’s Books? Never heard of it. I wonder what that’s all about. She didn’t dwell on it for long, and moved on to check the multitude of email she had most likely missed.





The following morning, Buffy didn’t have to work. She crept up the stairs and entered Willow’s bedroom. Slowly making her way across the room in what she considered stealth-mode, so as not to awaken her friend, she tiptoed to where the redhead was sleeping. That’s when she pounced. Leaping onto the bed she began bouncing up and down like a child shouting, “Get up! Get up! Get up!”



Willow went from zero to sixty in an instant, shooting out of bed with her heart racing faster than a hummingbird’s. Convinced something horrible was happening, she started shouting a string of nonsense full of words that would make even a sailor blush.



Buffy started laughing at her friend. “Oh, Will! You should see your face right now. It’s classic!”



Willow saw the blonde doubled over in laughter and grabbed a pillow with which she could begin beating her senseless. “What the hell was that all about? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”



Buffy continued laughing as she easily pulled the pillow from the redhead’s hands, turning her own weapon against her. “I just wanted to see how high you could jump. Obviously pretty high.”



Attempting to shield herself from the pillow, Willow asked, “Mission accomplished then? Can I go back to bed?”



“Oh no, Ms. Sleepy-pants, you’re getting up. I’m taking you out today.”



Glancing at the clock Willow whined, “But it’s only 8 o’clock.”



“8:03 actually, and getting later as we sit here. Up and at ‘em. There’s coffee in the kitchen for you when you want it. Let’s go! The day’s a-wastin’.”



“Yes, mother,” Willow mocked as she slowly dragged herself towards the bathroom for a shower.





After a day of shopping, both women were completely drained. As Buffy drove back towards home, they passed Penny Lane.



“Isn’t that the place where you said you met Tara?” she asked.



“Yeah. I was thinking about stopping in there later,” Willow answered.



“Can we go now? Coffee goodness sounds great, and I could totally us a recharge.”



Willow thought for a second. She actually wanted to go by herself in case she saw Tara, allowing the two of them to sit down and talk again. She gave in and said, “Okay.”



Buffy turned the car around and parked in the small lot beside the building. There were only a few people inside so it was relatively easy to find a place to sit. Buffy sat down at a table towards the back of the room while Willow went to the counter to place their order.



Behind the counter, Adam was leaned over a newspaper trying to figure out a crossword puzzle. When he looked up and saw who was approaching he smiled widely. “Hi. What’s an eleven letter word for ‘Mercury’? ‘First planet’ doesn’t work. Neither does ‘God of the war’.”



Willow looked at him and giggled. “Hi to you too. Your ‘god of the war’ was actually the messenger of the gods, but have you tried ‘quicksilver’?”



Adam began filling the letters in on the page and looked up in astonishment when the letters lined up with other blanks he’d filled in. “Hey, thanks. Now I can do the actual working part of this job. What can I get you?”



“Can I have one short mocha without whipped cream and one tall mocha with?”



“Sure thing. It’s $6.27. Just go take a seat and I’ll bring them out to you in a second.”



Willow paid the man then weaved her way through the tables to where Buffy was seated. She took her own seat facing away from the door. As she sat down, Buffy looked up from the magazine she had picked up from the back shelf of reading material that was directly behind her.



“So, this place is pretty quaint,” she commented.



“It’s cozy. I like it because it has a kind of personal feel to it,” Willow said.



“I take it you come in here a lot then?”



“Yeah, I usually come in around eleven after I wake up and take a shower on the days when you’re working in the morning.”



“You’ve never mentioned it before.”



“I know. Sorry. It’s just I like to have a place where I can go and be alone for a few hours. Ya know?”



“I get it. It’s okay.”



At that moment, Adam came out carrying to steaming mugs. “Here you go, ladies. Enjoy.” He placed the mugs on the table and turned to walk back up front.



“Thanks, Adam,” Willow called after him.



Grabbing the smaller of the two mugs, Buffy stared absently into the liquid and started, “You know, Will, there actually was a reason I dragged you out today, and it wasn’t just because it was my last day of vacation from work.”



Concerned with her friend’s demeanor, Willow placed a hand on top of Buffy’s and asked, “What’s wrong?”



Buffy looked up and smiled. “Nothing’s wrong. Everything’s perfect.”



“Then what is it?”



“Before we left for Florida I had been feeling kind of funny for a few days, so Liam wanted me to see a doctor,” she explained.



“You didn’t tell me you were sick! Are you okay?” Willow began to panic. She feared the worst and felt slightly left out of the loop because Buffy hadn’t told her anything.



“I didn’t want you worrying, and besides, I just told you nothing’s wrong. Let me finish.”



Willow nodded for her to continue.



“I went to the doctor the day we left and had some tests done. They said they’d call when they got the results. Well, they called while we were gone and...”



“You left for a week not knowing what the results were? What if something was seriously wrong?” Willow interrupted, panicking again.



“Willow, breathe. I knew it was nothing serious. I had an idea of what was going on before I went and I just needed the doctor to confirm it.” Buffy paused to take a deep breath before looking into her friend’s eyes. “Will, I’m pregnant.”



“What?! You’re having a baby! Oh my god, I’m so happy for you!” She immediately jumped out of her seat to embrace the blonde.



Tara walked through the door during the exchange. She happened to catch sight of the redhead and heard the commotion. However, she only caught the end of what was being said and heard, “Baby, oh my god, I’m so happy for you!” She stopped dead in her tracks only a few feet inside the door.



Adam looked up to see who was coming in and spotted her. “Hey, Tara!”



Hearing that name, Willow let go of Buffy and turned around toward the door. “Oh my god, that’s her, Buffy. What do I do?” she whispered.



“Ask her to come over and join us,” Buffy whispered back.



Willow saw Tara was looking directly at her and lifted her hand in a small wave as she walked over to the blonde woman. “Hey, Tara. How have you been? Do you want to come over and sit with us? I can introduce to you my friend Buffy.”



Just friend? Tara thought before stammering out, “I, uh, c-can’t. I j-just came by to d-drop something off with Adam. I have to g-go. I have p-practice with the b-band tonight.” It wasn’t a complete lie. She did have practice later, at 9:00. Sure, it was only 5:00 now, but who’s to say punctuality isn’t important.



“Oh. Okay.” Willow looked disappointed. “Well, I guess I’ll see you around then.”



“Y-yeah. S-see you.” Tara turned and walked back out the door.



Willow looked at Adam then back at the door. She had to drop something off with Adam? But she didn’t even go over to him. She was completely confused as she turned around to walk back to Buffy.



“So, what’s up?” Buffy asked as Willow sat back down.



“She had somewhere to be,” Willow replied absently, still trying to figure out what had just happened.



“Well, you wanna head home now? Liam’s probably getting off work about now.”



“No, you go ahead. I’m just going to stay here for a while. I’ll walk back.”



“You sure?”



“Yeah. I’ll see you at home.”



As Buffy got up to leave, Willow added as an afterthought, “Oh, Buffy?”



“Yeah?”



“You’re pregnant. Consider that your last mocha. No more caffeine.”



Buffy laughed. “Okay Dr. Rosenberg. I’ll see you at home.”



As Buffy walked out the door, Adam picked up the phone.



“Kim? It’s Adam. I don’t know what just happened, but I think Tara’s probably on her way over there right now.” After a short conversation, he hung up the phone.





Tara walked through the door of the bookstore and purposefully made her way to a small shelf behind the counter.



“Hey, what are you doing?” Kim asked as she watched Tara file through a small binder of CDs.



“Looking for a CD. What does it look like I’m doing?” Tara replied with an annoyed tone.



“No need to be snippy, Ms. Attitude. What’s your deal?” Kim was shocked at Tara’s shortness.



“I’m in a down mood, and I want some music to go with it.” She found what she was looking for and walked to the small stereo in the back room with Kim on her heels.



“Oh you’d better not even be thinking about changing Billy. I might have to hurt you.” Kim took a defensive stance in front of the stereo to protect her Smashing Pumpkins CD.



“Just let me change it. Please?” Tara pleaded.



Kim backed down a little out of sympathy. “What were you planning on putting in?”



“Your Tori Amos mix CD.”



“Oh, that’s really depressing,” Kim said. She had made a CD of all of Tori Amos’s saddest, most somber music for emotional times. If that’s what Tara wanted to listen to, she knew something was up. “Tell me what’s wrong.”



“It’s stupid.”



“Well it can’t be that stupid if you’re all glum about it. Just tell me.”



Tara sighed. “Remember how I was telling you about Willow?”



“How could I forget? You were all glow-y and happy.”



“I saw her again today.”



“That’s great! How’d it go?” Kim beamed then noticed Tara’s not-so-happy face.



“Well, I’m pretty sure she has a girlfriend.”



“Oh, that’s not good. Wait. ‘Pretty sure.’ What’s that mean? You don’t know for sure?”



“She was hugging another girl and called her ‘baby’. What do you think?”



“Aww, sweetie, I’m sorry.” Kim moved to hug her friend.



“I just feel like such an idiot because I got my hopes up and everything. I mean it’s not like I really know her or anything. You know? But, I just thought.... Well, I don’t know what I thought. Something about her just felt so... right. Maybe I’m just not supposed to find the right girl.”



“Well, you always have me,” Kim joked. “I mean, there’s the whole ‘not a lesbian, dating a guy’ thing, but I’m a nice girl. Look. I’m being nice right now. I’m going to let you change CDs.”



Tara couldn’t help but laugh. “Great, now I’m destined to eternity with my straight best friend who lets me have control over the music selection. I can’t decide if I feel better or worse.”



“Well I’ll just leave you back here to figure that one out on your own.” She smiled then added, “Don’t let it get you down. You’re going to find ‘the one’. Just keep your chin up. You never know when she’ll come walking through the door.” She then walked back to the front room.



“Thanks,” Tara said as she lay down facing the ceiling on the small couch across the room from the stereo and closed her eyes.

Kim (looking at her car encased in snow): I bet it's warm in there. Me: Probably. You know, like when you build a snow fort and it's warm inside even though it's cold outside. Kim: Yeah, like igloos. It's like the igloo effect. Us (realization dawning): Igloo Effect. Dude, that is so the name of our band!

[amberbensontotallyrules4e]

Hey,

This is a really great story, but please please please let Willow and Tara figure out that they like each other soon.

Rachel

[When You Were Mine]

Cool update.. aww poor Tara thinkin that Willow is wiht Buffy, hope they straighten that out soon! can't wait for more..



love

JFK

[littlecrazy80]

Poor Tara. I hope Willow walks asap through that door.



*lil´c*

Unter den Blinden ist der Einäugige König.



Check this out

[Ginner WTluv]

Okay, completely hooked here. Need an update before i explode. This fic rocks! More!!



~ Jen

I'd like to take a moment to talk about something that's happened lately. I'm also in love. It's a very special thing and I'm really rather proud of it. Yes, I'm in love with my own breasts. I feel no personal shame about this; in fact, I think this is the one. It's going to last. ~ Ruth

[willntlover]

that was so great how tara only heard part of the convo LOL



And yay more kim really loving this fic



-Will

"I think finding her soulmate would have made Tara a more confident and secure person" -Amber Benson

[WiccansIllusion]

Sarah, ack...how can you do that to us..well...then again you are the author after all..lol...anyways eagrly awaiting more...







Brooke

"love is touching souls" surely you touched mine 'cause part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time-Joni Mitchell 'A case of You'

“Oh yeah,” Tara sighed in Willow’s ear. “I’m your bitch. I’m your girl. I’m your everything,” she panted. “Don’t you ever fucking forget it."- CN Winters

[Incitatua 8]

I'm crazy for AU fics, first encounters, Willow and Tara first dates, falling in love scenes, holding hands, stolen looks, insecurities, first kisses, first " I Love Yous " and happy ever after endings... SO I think I'm going to be crazy about your story. I know your little mini-cliffhanger is already making me crazy. Please update often!

[mocha fiend 22]

aww poor Tara...how come those two have bad timing at coming in on things... yay updates are good and i like when there are updates...cant wait for more ...great update

I love you now and forever and a week

[the vamp nurd]

see stick grab wrong end.

Sorry I missed church, I was busy becoming a lesbian and worshiping Satan



Bardlet no #27

[Stroke of Luck]

The right one????? She found the right one

Oh no why is there always this damn time thingy



I hope Willow will talk to Tara really soon. Maybe she visits her in the Book Shop



Please update soon i wanna more



Cu

SoL/Natti



Man sieht nur mit dem Herzen gut, das Wesentliche ist für die Augen unsichtbar - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

[nika]

Now that was just wrong. I mean...sigh. why must a favorite human sport be jumping to conclusions? And Buffy is having a Cool!

[Garner]

Obviously I have liked this story, even if it is AU and that is not normally my cup of tea. The W/T mix with a more normal world is so very cool and well done that it really allowed me to get past the AU part of it. There is a lot more to come and it's all just as cool. Sarah did a great job, though she isn't finished yet!



Garner

[Bookcat]

So, I assume you're writing more? Now? As we speak? Because I want to see more.

Oh, and I think that you should listen to the Magnetic Fields. Because they sorta match your choices but not really. Okay, now I'm just plugging.

[kbk3022]

Good job on the update.



As long as we're recommending music for you, I have one. She's really cool and punk. It's Avril Lavigne, ever hear of her? I think you'd love her. She's so punk!



Kasey

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"What came first, the music or the misery?

People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over.

Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did

I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?"

[Bookcat]

Whoa, kbk3022, you have sarcasm and a Nick Hornby sig. Could you be cooler?

(that was not sarcasm. just to be clear)

[wiccanwiggle]

Hey More please! Soon! I'm really enjoying this fic and can't wait to see where you take it!

Everyone's Gettin Spanked But Me...!

[unionjill30]

Reply Type Stuff:



amberbensontotallyr – We’re well on the way to all that happening soon.

When You Were Mine – They’ll straighten it out in the very near future. Maybe even nearer than you think if you take a look below.

littlecrazy80 – And she’s walking, she’s walking. You’re already ahead of the game.

Ginner WTluv – Umm… don’t explode. I’m sure whoever would have to clean up after that wouldn’t be very happy. I have your update. I hope you’re still intact to read it.

willntlover – Get ready for more Kim. I would say more, but she’s pretty self-explanatory.

Brooke – I’m sorry about that cliffhanger thing. I could have kept going but it would have been an incredibly long update. I hope this next part helps out with that. It’s supposed to be fun and lighter than the last part. I would say you’d appreciate it considering you’ve met Kim, but because she played the ‘Normal Girl’ act that night I can’t. You’ll just have to trust that she’s really like the Kim I’m writing. She’s such a big faker around strangers.

Incitatua 8 – Sorry about the cliffhanger. I’m trying to update more often, but summer jobs get in the way of that. Somewhere in between Sleep, Eat, Work I’m trying to squeeze in Write. It’s slow going, and my personal life is basically non-existent. I hope that’s a good enough excuse for only updating every week.

mocha fiend 22 – Bad timing’s not a bad thing. It keeps things interesting. And it’s always such fun when the consequences of bad timing get cleared up.

the vamp nurd – Would that be saying Tara is getting the wrong end of the stick? Generally with me you have to blunt about these things. Otherwise I get all lost in Confusionville.

Stroke of Luck – Maybe Willow visits her. Maybe she doesn’t. I’m not telling. You have to read to figure it out.

nika – Good ol’ jumping to conclusions. It is a favorite human sport, isn’t it? And everyone’s just so good at it too.

Garner – Yeah, I knew you liked it before I posted, but I’m glad to see more feedback here. I love little reassurances like that. Now the question comes in, is the comment about me not being done yet for everyone else or is that a little poke at me to hurry up and write more? I mean, it’s been forever since I sent you more (but check your email just in case there’s something there ). Either way, thanks a lot for helping me out.

Bookcat – Judging by the time you posted your feedback, I’d say at that time I wasn’t writing more. I was tucked away and passed out in my bed. As for Magnetic Fields, I’ll try to look into that. It’s hectic here, so it’s hard to try new things at the moment.

Kasey – I’m taking away your privilege to recommend music. I thought you were cooler than that. I mean, your sig alone would say you’re freaking awesome. I guess I was wrong. So very wrong. You make me sad, Kasey. I may have to go cry now. To quote a good movie, I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

wiccanwiggle – Is today soon enough?





Title: Songs For A Mix Tape

Author: Sarah (unionjill30)

Email: unionjill_30@yahoo.com

Rating: PG - PG13ish?

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters from ME, and really I don’t own the other characters so much either. Though Kim would like to think she owns me. I’ve been informed that I don’t have to be Kim’s bitch, I just choose to be. Go figure.

Feedback: Yes please.



Track 4: Step By Step by New Kids On The Block



Willow stayed at Penny Lane drinking her mocha and trying to add up what had happened with Tara. It still didn’t make sense why the blonde would say she was dropping something off with Adam and hadn’t even walked over to Adam. Maybe she didn’t want to talk to me and was making an excuse so she wouldn’t hurt my feelings. Maybe she didn’t like me when we met. Or, maybe I’m over-analyzing this. Get a grip. You don’t even know her.



When she finished her mocha, Willow decided to take a walk before going home. It was still early, and she could use the fresh air. Stepping out the door, she turned in the opposite direction of the funeral home and started walking.



After a short while she had covered a few blocks, and Willow found herself outside a short row of different businesses. There was a small pharmacy, a deli, a salon, and at the end, disconnected from the building housing the other three businesses, was a small bookstore. It was the name of the bookstore that caught her eye. Maureen’s Books. Why does that sound familiar? Oh, it was on my caller ID. Her curiosity got the best of her, and Willow decided to venture inside.



Walking through the door, Willow noticed the side walls were lined in tall bookshelves. A walkway to the counter on the back wall was formed between two columns of multiple shelves. Standing behind the counter was a young woman about her own age with dark hair and a white stripe through one side of her bangs. She was leaned over and appeared to be reading something. Willow also noticed the faint sound of piano music coming from the back. A woman’s voice was accompanying the piano and she thought she recognized it as one of Tori Amos’s sadder songs. Somber much?



At the sound of the door closing, Kim looked up from the comic book she had been reading and noticed a woman with red hair enter the shop. “Welcome to Maureen’s Books. Is there anything I can help you find?” she politely greeted the customer.



Willow walked deeper into the shop and replied, “No thanks. I’m just here to look around.”



“If you need anything, I’m Kim. Just let me know.”



“Thanks,” Willow said as Kim went back to her reading.



Willow began skimming through the contents of one of the shelves. A lot of the books appeared to be incredibly old, but mixed in with them were new books. Must be a new and used bookstore.



In the backroom, Tara rolled over on her side on the couch, and a yellow box under the metal folding chair next to the couch caught her eye. She reached under and pulled it up to examine. Crayola 96 Crayons. Interesting. Underneath the box of crayons was something even more interesting. It appeared to be an extremely old coloring book straight out of the 1980’s. Punky Brewster? As she thumbed through the book, she noticed some of the pages in the front were colored with obscure colors and a somewhat shaky hand. Also, at the bottom of each page printed in large letters was the name ‘Kim.’ As she neared the middle, the coloring became a hundred times better and the name on each page was a delicately scripted ‘Kim.’ All of the pages in the back were devoid of crayon markings. She decided to ask Kim about it and stood up, stretching her body in the process, and walked into the store.



When she came up behind Kim, she peeked over her shoulder to look at what Kim was reading. Deciding the illustration of Storm Troopers being deployed for a battle wasn’t exactly a pressing issue, she tapped Kim on the shoulder. “I have a question,” she asked.



Kim jumped slightly at the unexpected person behind her and turned to come face to face with Tara. “Word of advice: don’t sneak up on people. It’s not nice.”



“Sorry.” Tara smiled apologetically.



“What’s the question?”



“I was just wondering about your coloring book.” She held the book in question up for Kim to see. “I’ve never seen it here before, and I was wondering what it was doing in the back.”



“My mom was cleaning out her attic a few weeks ago and found a bunch of my old stuff. She mailed some of my old coloring books and crayons and colored pencils,” she explained. “There’s a big stack of books back there in my art box if you want to check it out. If you play nice I might even let you color a few pages,” she teased.



“You’re so funny,” Tara retorted. “But I might just take you up on that offer.” She turned and walked back into the other room.



During the exchange, Willow heard voices near the counter but disregarded them. She had found a section of children’s books and was looking through them with Buffy in mind. Can’t think about this stuff too early. She picked out a small book of nursery rhymes and a book about the alphabet with pop-up pictures accompanying each letter before walking up front to pay. She saw Kim was still reading at the counter as she placed her purchases down beside what appeared to be a Star Wars comic book.



Kim saw the children’s books being placed on the counter and looked up to see the redheaded woman standing in front of her. She smiled at the woman and proceeded to ring up the items. “This is some heavy reading material you’ve got here,” she joked.



“I think I’ll manage.” Willow laughed before explaining, “They’re for a friend of mine who’s having a baby.”



In the back, Tara was flipping through the stack of coloring books she found in Kim’s art box. The idea of coloring intrigued her because she hadn’t done it in ages, but there were a few to choose from and she couldn’t decide. Instead, she walked out front with them all to ask Kim’s opinion.



The first thing she noticed when she walked through the door was that Kim was ringing up a customer. It took only a split second to realize who the customer was. “Willow,” she breathed. What’s she doing here?



Faintly hearing her name, Willow looked up to find the source. Her eyes locked on Tara standing behind Kim with a stack of books in her hands. “Tara,” she said, shocked. What’s she doing here?



Kim only heard Tara’s name spoken and turned to see the blonde standing behind her with an armload of coloring books. She looked back to the redhead then back to Tara trying to figure out why the two women were just standing there staring at each other not speaking or moving. She cleared her throat slightly breaking the silence and raised her hand. “Umm... hi. Kim here. Confused. What’s with all the ‘let’s just stand here like statues’?” She then looked at Tara and whispered, “Do you know her?”



Tara shook herself out of her trance-like state and looked at Kim. “Oh... uh... yeah. Umm... Kim, this is Willow.” She then looked at Willow. “Willow, uh, this is Kim.”



Kim turned back to Willow and extended her hand. When Willow accepted and shook it she said, “So you’re Willow, huh?” She then started eyeing the woman up and down.



‘So you’re...’ wait... what’s that supposed to mean? Did Tara tell her about me? Woo hoo! No, could be bad. That tone sounded bad. Did I do something bad? “Umm...yeah. Nice to meet you,” Willow replied quietly. Stop looking at me like that.



Tara noticed Willow’s nervousness and how Kim was giving the redhead a disapproving once-over and decided to intervene. “S-So what brings y-you here?” Stop stuttering.



“I, uh, was just walking by and stopped in because I’ve never been here before.” She held up the books for Buffy and said, “I thought I’d buy some books for a friend. She’s pregnant. I take it you work here?”



“Umm, y-yeah. S-sort of. Not right n-now. I mean, Kim’s working n-now. I’m just hanging out h-here for a while.” Please stop stuttering!



“Oh.” Think of something to say. Don’t just stand here staring at her. “So... I guess you’re going to be leaving for that band practice thing soon, huh?”



Tara’s face turned red and she couldn’t speak. Now she’s going to think I completely blew her off earlier.



Kim jumped in when Tara didn’t say anything. “Practice isn’t until nine.”



“Oh, I thought that’s where you were headed when you left Penny Lane. You seemed like you were in a hurry,” Willow said to Tara. Maybe I was right and she really didn’t want to talk to me.



“I...” Tara started only to be interrupted by Kim.



“Everybody decided nine was a better time to get together.” She was trying to word her sentence in a way that would save Tara from whatever she needed saving from and would keep her from telling a complete lie. Apparently it worked.



“Oh, okay,” Willow said.



All three women stood in awkward silence for a moment before Willow asked, “Can I ask a weird question?”



“S-sure,” Tara answered.



“Umm... did either of you happen to call my house sometime last week? The number here was on my caller ID and...”



Kim interrupted again, “That was probably me. See, there was this sale we had last week and... you know...” She trailed off hoping it was a good enough explanation. Again, it wasn’t really lying since she had been the one who dialed the number and there actually were a few things that had been on sale the week before.



“Oh.” Willow seemed to accept the story, but it confused her. Why would they call to tell people about a sale? Isn’t that what newspapers are for? Weird. Whatever.



Again there was an awkward silence. Kim moved to put the books in a bag for Willow and handed her a receipt. As an afterthought she grabbed a flyer from a stack by the cash register and handed it to the redhead.



“If you’re not busy Friday night there’s a show at The Rev you should check out,” she said, ignoring the angry look Tara was giving her.



As Willow looked up from the piece of paper, Tara’s face shifted from angry to neutral. “You can bring your girlfriend if you want,” she said.



“My what?” Willow asked in shock. Did she say ‘girlfriend’? Why would she think I... “I don’t have a girlfriend.”



Tara’s face turned bright red. “Oh god! S-sorry... I just assumed. The w-woman y-you were with. Y-you s-seemed... and she...I...”



Willow started laughing.



Tara stopped trying to talk and looked at Kim in shock. Kim looked back and shrugged her shoulders. Both women looked at Willow who just kept laughing.



“You mean Buffy?” Willow managed to breathe out between laughs. Seeing the confusion etched on both Kim and Tara’s faces, she composed herself and tried to explain. “Buffy is so not my girlfriend. Oh man, she’d have a heart attack if she heard you thought that. She’s married... to a man. She’s the pregnant friend who the books are for.”



Realization hit Tara and Kim at nearly the same moment. “Oh...” they said in unison.



“But would it be okay if she were to come even though she’s not my girlfriend?”



“Definitely. Yeah,” Tara said with a smile on her face. Her mood had improved ten-fold. She doesn’t have a girlfriend! Okay, act smooth and don’t do anything stupid. “If Buffy’s husband wants to come too that’d be great. The more people that come out the better.”



“I’ll be sure to ask him then,” Willow said. “Are you in the band too?” she asked Kim.



“Oh no, not me. I’m just the girlfriend of the guy who’s filling in for the old drummer and might become the new drummer if everything goes okay. Does that make sense?”



The redhead thought about if for a second before hesitantly answering, “I think so, maybe.”



“It’s a long story,” Tara said reassuringly.



“So which is the band you play in?” Willow asked, referring to the list of bands on the flyer. It read, ‘Alison Ashmore with Brendan Benson and The Well-fed Boys, The Livingstone Project, and The Secret Identity.’



Tara set the stack of coloring books down, leaned over the counter, and pointed where the paper read ‘Alison Ashmore.’ “That’s us. But we’re not headlining anymore. Part of that long story. Brendan Benson and The Well-fed Boys are headlining now. It should be a good show.”



Willow barely registered what the blonde was saying. As soon as Tara had leaned over the counter, her eyes drifted of their own accord to the cleavage that was on display. Stop it you dirty, dirty pervert. How would you feel if someone was openly staring at your chest? Okay, so you’d be excited that someone actually noticed your chest, but that’s not the point. Eyes up, eyes up! When she finally pulled her eyes away she saw Kim with a mischievous grin on her face. Oh god, she saw!



Tara was completely oblivious to what was going on in front of and beside her. She was intent on explaining the contents of the flyer.



“I’ll definitely be there, and I’ll try to get Buffy and Liam to come along,” Willow said, trying to get Kim to stop looking at her. Seeing the coloring books, she found a potential escape route. “Ernie’s Book of Animals. Is that a good read?”



“Huh?” Tara asked then realized what the redhead was referring to. “Oh, the coloring books. They’re Kim’s.”



“And yes, it is a good read,” Kim defended her possession.



“That’s quite the stack you have there. I haven’t colored in ages. Do you mind if I look through them?” Willow asked.



“That’s cool,” Kim said, allowing the redhead access to her books.



Willow flipped through the stack and found Darkwing Duck, Pound Puppies, Punky Brewster, and The Happy Valentine Bear. When she reached the book on the bottom she virtually squealed, “Rainbow Brite ‘Dome Sweet Dome’! I totally had this one when I was little!” She then started flipping through the pages like a little kid with a new toy.



“I have a huge box of crayons if you want to color something in it,” Kim offered.



“Oh, no. I couldn’t. It’s your book. And it’s really old. I wouldn’t want to impose.” Truthfully, she really wanted to color a picture. She hadn’t colored since sometime in elementary school, but she didn’t want to be rude by asking someone she just met if she could use her coloring book.



“It’s no big, really. I think Tara wanted to color something too. And lucky for the both of you Rainbow Brite is the one book I feel okay letting other people color in.”



Tara could tell Kim had something planned but didn’t know how to stop it. She was only able to stand with her mouth slightly open trying to force some kind of sound out.



“It’ll be fun. You can spread out in the back on the big magic rug with a big box of crayons. And they’re Crayola too. None of those cheap crayons for me. It’ll be just like kindergarten,” Kim coaxed.



Tara finally found her voice. “You do realize how much you just sounded like a scary old guy trying to lure a little kid into his car with candy don’t you?”



“Or the clown at the beginning of It trying to get the kid to come closer to the storm drain,” Willow added.



“Well, you can just call me Creepy McCreepster then,” Kim joked then turned serious. “But don’t ever mention that clown. Major childhood trauma there.” She visibly shivered.



“Point taken,” Willow said.



“But seriously, you can totally color a picture or five or whatever. It’s cool with me.” She reached across the counter and took Willow’s arm. “C’mon,” she said as she pulled the redhead around to the back of the counter and grabbed Tara’s hand in the process. She then began herding the two into the backroom. “Now, lay down side by side,” she ordered. Once the two women had complied she placed the book and box of crayons in front of them. “Now color.”



“Are you going to give us juice and animal crackers too, Mom?” Tara asked with an innocent smile on her face.



“Don’t make me put you in time-out, young lady,” Kim joked. “Now get to coloring.” As she walked back to the front she grabbed a remote control from next to the stereo.



“You do realize how incredibly weird your friend is, don’t you?” Willow asked.



“That’s putting it mildly,” Tara said.



“I heard that!” Kim yelled from the front, causing both Willow and Tara to start giggling.



“So, what picture do you want to color?” Willow asked as she turned the pages in the book.



“I don’t care. You can pick if you want to.” Tara started to turn shy. Breathe normally, Tara. There are a good four inches between the two of you. It’s nothing to get all worried about.



“Well, what do you think of this one? It’s all kinds of fun with Buddy Blue rockin’ it out with the Sprites.”



“It’s okay with me if it’s okay with you.”



Willow noticed how nervous Tara was. She’s so incredibly cute. “How about I flip through and if you see something that catches your eye you can stop me?” she suggested.



“Okay,” Tara answered. Great, I don’t want to pick out something stupid that she hates.



Willow started slowly turning the pages giving Tara a chance to look them over for something she liked.



After a few pages Tara started to panic. Just pick one. This isn’t life or death. It’s not like she’ll kill you if it’s a bad decision. Probably. Hopefully? And I’m a completely crazy person for even considering that possibility. Just make a decision. Without even looking, Tara put her hand on the next page turned. “This one works,” she said.



“Umm... it’s already colored,” Willow pointed out.



“Oh.”



“Are you okay?” She noticed the blonde’s breathing started to become slightly labored.



“Yeah, I’m great.” Except I’m not. “It’s just that Kim’s really demanding with the side by side coloring thing, and I mean we don’t really know each other.” Oh, that sounded bad like I don’t want to be around her. “I don’t mean that in a bad way! It’s just... it doesn’t really do much for the personal space... ya know? Does that make sense?”



“It makes complete sense. I’m kind of feeling that way too.” She then dropped her voice down to a whisper, “Don’t tell Kim this, but she’s kinda scary with her coloring book dictator persona. I was afraid she’d yell at me if I didn’t come back here. And I totally understand the personal space thing. For all you know I could be some crazy murderer just mere inches from you.” She laughed for a second then realized what she’d just said. “Oh no! I didn’t mean I am crazy and kill people. ‘Cause I’m not. Honestly. It was just an expression.”



Tara felt herself relax a little and let out a nervous giggle. “It’s okay. I believe you. I’m just glad I’m not the only one feeling this way. I guess we should probably get to coloring something before she comes back here and reprimands us.”



“Okay, but you still have to help me decide on a picture.”



“Okay.”



Willow started turning the pages again and it wasn’t long before Tara chose a two-page picture of Rainbow Brite, Red Butler, and a group of Sprites riding a roller coaster. Tara began coloring the page with Rainbow Brite while Willow worked on the one with Red Butler.



As they colored, they started talking to try to get to know each other. Willow was in the middle of telling Tara about how she lived with Buffy and Liam when they both reached towards the box for a crayon. Incidentally, they both reached for the same red crayon, causing their hands to collide.



“S-sorry,” Tara said, quickly pulling her hand back.



“No, don’t be. Here, you can use it.” Willow handed the crayon to the woman beside her.



“No, go ahead. You can use it. Your page has a lot of stuff that’s red.” Tara handed the crayon back to the redhead.



“Exactly. That’s why you should use it. I don’t want to be like crayon-hog or anything. You have less red stuff. You use it first.” Willow put the crayon back in the blonde’s hand.



Before Tara could argue, the stereo suddenly stopped playing music in the middle of a track and started turning the disk tray. They both looked at each other in confusion. When the tray stopped turning it began to play the CD in the selected slot.



At the same moment, Kim came sliding across the floor in front of the door Risky Business style, though wearing her pants, singing into a remote control. “Step by step, oh girl.”



Willow and Tara both broke up with laughter, and Tara asked, “What in the world are we listening to?”



“I figured since New Kids were around about the time we were still coloring, I’d play it for nostalgic purposes,” Kim answered while continuing to dance around the room.



“And it just happened to be in the CD player?” Tara asked.



“They were on E! Hollywood True Story last night so I brought in the Greatest Hits album today,” she explained, still dancing. “C’mon this is the best part!” she yelled grabbing Tara off the floor. “Step one, we can have lots of fun! Step two...”



“You know I can’t dance.” Tara pulled away and placed her hands in the pockets of her jeans in an attempt to avoid dancing.



Willow watched Kim trying to get Tara to dance, and when the blonde refused she immediately started chanting to herself, Please don’t make me dance, please don’t make me dance.



“Well maybe she can,” Kim said as she pulled Willow up from the floor. She put her arms around the redhead’s waist and tried to get her to dance, but Willow seemed reluctant. Ever persistent, Kim took her hands and attempted to spin her around. Unfortunately, Willow was unsteady on her feet and began to stumble. Kim couldn’t hold onto her hands, and she went careening into Tara. The two fell directly onto the edge of the couch with Willow on top.



Willow’s vision was blurred by a mess of red locks in her face. Shaking her head slightly, the hair fell away from her eyes, and she was greeted by Tara’s face only inches away from her own. Close enough to kiss. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. “Hi,” she squeaked.



“H-hi.” Oh my god, she is so right there. Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me. Wait, that’s a Cure album. I’ve gone insane.



Willow wasn’t able to hold her balance with half her body hanging off the couch, and she tilted slightly, falling onto the floor. “Ow,” she muttered under her breath.



“Are you okay?” Tara asked looking down at her.



“I’m good,” she said, rubbing the back of her head. Looking toward the wall, she noticed the clock read 7:00. “Oh wow, it’s getting late. I should probably head home.”



“You can’t go yet. We haven’t even heard Hangin’ Tough,” Kim argued.



“I should probably take a rain check,” Willow said as she pulled herself up from the floor. She held out her hand and helped Tara up from the couch before they all walked to the front.



“It’s been a lot of fun. Thanks for letting me color, Kim,” Willow said as she picked up the bag of books she had bought earlier. “I’ll see you on Friday, and hopefully I’ll have Buffy and Liam with me.”



“Did you drive here or do you need a lift or anything?” Tara asked. “It’s getting dark out now.”



“I’m walking. It’s just a few blocks away,” Willow reassured.



“Are you sure?” Tara asked.



“Yeah, I’m good. I’ll see you Friday.” Willow waved as she walked out the door and onto the sidewalk.



Kim and Tara waved back before Kim turned to Tara. “She likes you.”



“What? How do you know?” Tara hadn’t picked up on any signals that told her the redhead had anything more than friendly feelings toward her.



“If the way she was staring down your shirt when you were leaned over the counter doesn’t mean she likes you, then I don’t know what does. If I didn’t know you, I’d think you were giving that free show on purpose,” Kim teased.



“What?” Tara self-consciously covered the low neck of her shirt with her arm. “I would never.... She was seriously looking?”



“Tara and Willow sitting in a tree...” she started singing. “Hey. Willow. Tree. Willow tree. That’s great.”



“You’re worse than a child.”

Kim (looking at her car encased in snow): I bet it's warm in there. Me: Probably. You know, like when you build a snow fort and it's warm inside even though it's cold outside. Kim: Yeah, like igloos. It's like the igloo effect. Us (realization dawning): Igloo Effect. Dude, that is so the name of our band!

[Willster]

Loved the update!!



So sweet with the coloring and stuff!!



I almost thought they were gonna kiss...! I guess we'll have to wait some more, not too much i hope!

[willowsgirl]

Wow, that was like a time capsule back to my childhood!

Brilliant update, I seriously love this fic. Cant wait to see Tara's band play

Keep 'em coming!

Willowsgirl xx

[When You Were Mine]

Aww, awesome update! this fic is now officially one of my new faves.. well it was before but.. haha coloring rainbow brite! that was cute.. i can't wait for more!



love

JFK

[Ginner WTluv]

ah, okay.... can't breathe.... laughing too much.... this fic is sooooo funny! heehee.... Ahem. *tries to get breathing back to normal* I've completely fallen in love with this fic. Can't wait the next update!



~ Jen

I'd like to take a moment to talk about something that's happened lately. I'm also in love. It's a very special thing and I'm really rather proud of it. Yes, I'm in love with my own breasts. I feel no personal shame about this; in fact, I think this is the one. It's going to last. ~ Ruth

Edited by: Ginner WTluv at: 6/15/03 2:16 pm

[foreverpiper]

oh this is so great!! i love it!! i am so loving kim! she rocks! you have a ton of great idea! coloring book and that couch! loving it all!!! this fic is awsome!

And never let it be said that I left a Tara craving unsatisfied. - Willow in Wilderness

[WiccansIllusion]

Sarah

another great update. The coloring thing was cute. And Willowtree..hehe. Love seeing that inserted anywhere.



keep those updates coming!





WI

"It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we can live without cheese, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without Cheese, we'd be truly dead."- Angel on the Passions of Cheese

[TemperedCynic]

This is such a wonderful fic! It's warm, comfortable and such a joy to read. Adam is so the matchmaker, not above conspiring with Kim to find Tara someone to love. And, she has a very good start with a certain redhead. I can't wait to see how Kim and Anya interact - that could explode on contact! Buffy and Liam provide Willow much-needed support. I wonder how many other BtVS cameos we can expect.



Maureen's Books reminds me of "Hi Fidelity" with John Cusack and Jack Black, but with a female slant. Seeing Tara on that couch listening to Tori Amos, mourning the loss of someone she just met felt very right to me. The Crayola crayon, NKotB and Rainbow Brite scene was inspired, in a truly demented kind of way.



I can't wait for Friday night's show. I expect quirky, sweet, romantic and touching. Brilliant.

---

More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly. Woody Allen (1935 - )

[the vamp nurd]

I hope Willow didn't break the yellow crayon



the or kiss the geek



now

Sorry I missed church, I was busy becoming a lesbian and worshiping Satan



Bardlet no #27

[xita]

Just read 2 great updates! I love your OC, Kim. She's moving the plot and most importanly she is funny. Willow is so cute, she is a breast gal after all. I am glad the vacation went by quickly, I must admit I like reading w/t interaction, friendship, love, flirting, whatever!

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Leora......Leora....