New NC-17 Fic: Under the Sea (Completed September 15th)

[Devi Crystalseeker]

I can't find the words this deserves right now, so I'm just gonna say that I read and appreciate.

Awaiting Willow's and Tara's meeting almost as eagerly as they do...

[db]

Ohh. Lovely imagery! They are so *entranced* with each other!

Tara's song - seems like it is calling to Willow (a siren's song?).

I wish I was feeling more pithy - but I'm too sick to think, so I'll just sign off with a "thanks for updating, I enjoyed it".

db

[Artemis]

Well, it seems Tara is a siren, of sorts - she and Willow have a link that goes deeper than just the physical fact of their brief encounter. It's interesting seeing Willow in the 'dry world' trying to deal with her feelings - she's really half-and-half, and it's sad, but not surprising, that she can't fully feel like she's at home up top. Faith's introduction has me watchful - will she be just a minor character and Willow's wariness of her be just one of those things that doesn't necessarily mean anything, or is she someone who'll make waves of the bad sort later on?

That aside, for the image of Faith in a Baywatch outfit? Thanks Buffy too, of course... but Faith

Willow's dream was really interesting. I had the idea while I was reading it that it's a kind of metaphor for Willow herself, only the elements have been flipped around - she's tossed into the water, and Tara gives her what she needs to survive, in the form of air, a taste of her natural environment (even aqua-fixated as Willow is, I suppose her dream-subconscious is still thinking of land as her natural environment - I guess that'd be a pretty strong biological instinct). And there's direct parallels there, of course - she was near drowning, and Tara gave her air. But it occurred to me that there's also a deeper parallel, if you reverse things - if you think of the water in Willow's dream not as literal water, but as an environment that Willow isn't at home in, and which stifles her. In fact, what's happening is that something - fate, chance, whatever - tossed her out of the water, into an environment she's not suited for, and which is drowning her - the surface, where she can't find the connection with her environment that she craves (as well as all the happies from aqua-smut) - and Tara provides her with 'air', which (reversing things) is actually the connection with the water that she needs. Water, air - air, water. Of course, I may just be way off the mark - it's been known to happen

[SithLordWiccan]

Paul: I can certainly sympathize with your computer problems. And it is just you. Baji is meant to be a female (though I am kinda curiworried about how you thought she was a guy... ).

The Elders are indeed meant to evoke the image of Nazi and KKK'ers, and that is an intentional thing. I wanted to show a clear divide between Tara and Willow on the basis of that their respective races are in a sort of "cold war" situation. As for the spell, it was a rather dramatic change, and has affected their entire lifestyle down to the genetic level, which is rather traumatic when you think about it.

I echo the about casual nudity. But it had to be done. Willow's not the type to flaunt around in the buff...at least not when there are others present.

As for Faith....see my comments below.

Thianne: I know I'm a tease. But you know what they say: if you want something real badly, you have to wait for it. Which is why I'm sad to say that the reunion of Willow and Tara is not going to be happening in the next chapter. (Please don't hate me...)

Devi: Thanks. And I'm glad you're eagerly awaiting the reunion of our girls. I'm eagerly awaiting writing it.

db: I don't really think of Tara much as a siren. Certainly she does have the qualities (what with the singing and all), but its more of a coincidence than any real attempt on her part to seduce Willow. And yeah, they certainly are "entranced" with one another.

Chris: Like I said, I don't consider Tara a siren in the literal sense, but she certainly does have the qualities one would normally assoicate with the role. Of course, she has no idea that the surface world would consider her actions questionable. I glad that you pointed out that Willow doesn't feel comfortable on the surface. It was really something that I hoped to put out there. Ever since her teenage escapade, she's felt more at home in the water than on the surface. I don't think its much of a stretch to say that if it wasn't for Buffy, she wouldn't have any reason to be on land at all.

Faith...yeah, I'm gonna cop out to this because I have no reason to hide. She was indeed a last minute addition to the story. As far as she was concerned, I wanted to introduce an element that would bring out some sort of angst towards Willow's life on the surface, because up until now I've been focusing a lot on how Tara feels about Willow in spite of the fact that it could blow up in her face. And whose better at providing uncomfortable feelings than Faith? (That probably sounded better in my head...)

As for her character, I can say that she will end up playing a major role in the story. I can't go into too much detail about it (as it gives away a plot point that I don't want to let out yet), but here it is in a nutshell.

[spoiler]UtS Faith, much like Buffy Canon Faith, is a mirror for Buffy in every way. Like Buffy, she got into the lifeguard business in order to satisfy a trait that was developed in Canon late in the series: a need to redeem herself against what she knows to be bad (all this is explained in better detail in Chapter Eight, so I won't get into it here). Willow instantly feels uncomfortable about Faith, and has her feelings confirmed when Buffy tells Willow how much she's impressed with Faith. Willow realizes how much more comfortable and open she is when it comes to her water activites, and makes her even more insecure. This is important because, while Willow never kept her love of water a secret from Buffy (barring the fact that she finds it sexually exciting), Buffy never went on about how proud she was of Willow as she is about Faith. (All of this is coming up in the next chapter, which I hope to have up this weekend.)

I can't go into much detail about the specific role she's set to play, since it involves a plot point I want to keep silent for a bit longer. Rest assured, she's not a once off character.[/spoiler]

It's interesting that you should say that about Willow's dream. While it certainly wasn't my intention to write the scene to say that (it was supposed to convey how much Tara and the drowning were related), in hindsight, I can see why you might think that. Aquaphilia certainly is not one of the more well known or accepted fetishes (as opposed to the more obvious ones like latex and leather), so its no surprise that Willow would feel smothered in a society that would see her kink as something unusual and strange. And I think you got the right idea about how much Tara can make Willow feel more comfortable about herself.

I think that's what I enjoy most about writing this fic. I can write certain scenes in one way, then have people see something in them that I never saw myself when I first wrote it. This fic certainly is becoming something I never intended. And I think I'm rather happy about it.

[SithLordWiccan]

Here's chapter six, everybody. I know it's coming rather quickly, but that's because I was working on it at the same time as Chapter Five. And, aside from having to do some rewrites, it was basically finished on Wendsday. Have fun.

***
[center]Chapter Seven[/center]

Willow sat across from Buffy, her eyes wandering around the room that they currently occupied. She took a moment to reflect on the day that they had. It had been special, she had to admit. Between Buffy’s lifeguard duties and her frequent part time work, they didn’t have wealth unlimited. But it was enough that they could get by without having to resort to handouts, usually leaving enough money to enjoy the odd casual expense one every few months. But with all the stuff they had done today, Willow figured that there weren’t going to be any more “casual expenses” for a while and that she would need to take three part time jobs in order to cover the costs.

Their first destination after going home to change had been Santa Monica Place, where they had spent countless hours window shopping. Nothing seemed of particular interest, though they had spent an obscene amount of time at both Frederick’s and Victoria’s Secret trying on unmentionables of various styles and cuts. The only good that came from that was that it gave Willow a new appreciation of her own body, having tried on several pairs of lingere that were definitely not meant for sleep and drew a polite whistle of approval from Buffy.

The next destination was the theatre, where they watched one of the weekend’s new releases, a comedy called “Date Movie.” Though she found the movie amusing at times, Willow had to wonder at why Buffy would choose a movie that was so…crude. The lead actress certainly made an effort to perform well despite the weak script and Willow couldn’t deny how much she felt for her character in the situation she had found herself in.

And to be honest, that little dance number at the start would make it almost impossible for her to hear “Milkshake” on the radio again without giggling.

The final place the pair had decided to go was their current location: the Il Fornaio. It was a well known Italian restaurant well suited to both Willow’s vegetarian lifestyle and Buffy’s varied taste in world cuisine. Aside from ordering their meals and receiving their drinks, the pair hadn’t done much talking.

Or rather, Willow hadn’t done much talking. Buffy had been, in actual fact, going on and on for the past ten minutes about how much she was impressed by Faith. The comments stung Willow with the power of a bee sting and a slap across the face. She had kept her most precious secret hidden from her best friend for the better part of the last ten years, and bubbling in a pot of self made guilt because of it, while some stranger she had known for all of thirty seconds had just walked in out of nowhere and flaunted her (from what Buffy described) rather impressive water skills like it was no big deal. The blonde certainly knew how much Willow enjoyed the water, but had never gone out of her way to say that she was impressed by that. Add the fact that her secret sexual attraction to water was something she kept close to her heart, and she figured she had the right to be bitter about Faith, who from all appearances was everything Willow was not: carefree, charismatic and totally in control of her sexuality.

Willow knew that now was not the time to dwell on Buffy’s questionable relationship, work-related or not, with the brunette. Buffy had said that Riley gave her permission to leave early and take the weekend off on the proviso that she come in and work double shifts the following weekend. That gave Willow a small opportunity in which to convince her best friend to lend her diving equipment so that she can go to see Tara.

“Buff,” she said, cursing herself for interrupting her friend while she was talking, but then realizing that it was probably going to be the only way to get a word in edgewise. “I…I…I wanted to talk to you about…”

She paused, her nervousness causing her to stutter.

“What, Will?” Buffy prompted.

Willow couldn’t help it. She clammed up and shifted uncomfortably. It must have been more noticeable than she intended, for the blonde gave her a curious look. “Come on, Will. You know that you can talk to me about anything.”

“I know,” Willow admitted. “But this is…kind of…”

“Personal?”

“Kinda sorta.”

“Well, if you don’t wanna tell me, I’ll understand.” Buffy sighed. “I just thought that, with everything we’ve been through, that there would be no secrets…”

“I met someone,” Willow blurted. She hoped that the suddenness of the act wouldn’t be too shocking.

Instead, the look that appeared on Buffy’s face was one of happiness. “That’s great, Will. Who is she? Where did you meet her? Oh, I have so many questions.”

“I kinda figured that,” Willow noted. “I met her…yesterday.”

“Yesterday?” Buffy asked. “You mean…so you didn’t go alone?”

Willow swallowed. This wasn’t going to be easy, and she knew it. But it would do her good to say the truth, even if it was a heavily modified version. “No, Buffy. I went down alone.”

“Then how…”

“She saved me.”

“Saved you?”

It was then that Willow realized that she had backed herself into a corner, and that she had no choice but to fully expose her deepest secret to her best friend. Although she knew the possibility might come up, she was still unprepared to deal with it. “It won’t be that bad,” she thought. “After all, I came out of the closet to her, and she was all fine about it. Finey McFine Fine Fine, as a matter of fact. Well, not really at first. She had this look on her like she just stepped in dog poop and didn’t want to look down. But she got over it. So she’ll get over this, too. I hope. Please, let her get over this.”

“I…almost drowned.”

Buffy looked at her with a mixture of shock and confusion. “Almost? What’s ‘almost’ about drowning, Will? You really should have known better. Faith never would have done anything that risky.”

Willow swallowed again, silently letting the comparison between her and Faith pass without comment. Internally, however, she was hurt by it. She never would have figured that Buffy would be comparing her best friend with someone else, lest of all someone like Faith. It made her wonder just what else about her Buffy compared with Faith.

”Does Buffy still like me?” Willow thought in a panic. ”Is this going to be the end of our friendship? And why did she compare me with Faith? I’d call that a low blow, but thankfully, I’m not…equipped in that area.”

She realized she would have to say something, lest her silence be taken as an admission of guilt. “Buffy, we’ve known each other since high school. You said it yourself. We’ve done and seen everything you could imagine together. But there are some things about me that I don’t think you could understand…”

Buffy was getting impatient. “Willow, please stop beating around the proverbial bush. We’re best friends, and best friends don’t keep secrets from one another.”

“You kept Faith a secret,” Willow blurted, instantly regretting her decision to do so. Instead of shutting up, she continued, “You said she just transferred here. How do I know that? For all I know, you’re as much a lesbo as I am and have been having secret make out sessions while at work and…”

Willow couldn’t take it anymore. She broke down and began to sob. It didn’t matter that they were in public with over a dozen people watching. She had suffered worse humiliation in high school.

Buffy was clearly upset by this. “Will, you’ve got to understand me. It’s different with Faith. She’s…I don’t know. I mean, I look at you, and know what you were like when we were in high school, and how much the water was a part of our lives. And then I look at her…and I see us, you know?”

“I sense a ‘but’ coming,” Willow said, looking up with red rimmed eyes.

“But…different,” Buffy added. “You know, there’s something about her that just tells me that, had we been different growing up, we could have been her.” She looked around the room sheepishly. “You know how I am, Will. I’m a protector of the less fortunate, a hero to those who can’t defend themselves. And I see Faith…as someone who, given the right guidance and motivation, can be just like us.”

Willow realized that she had gotten it wrong about Faith. It was very much in Buffy’s character to help out other people, especially if they never realized how much they needed it. And if Willow could think the way she had about the brunette, then how did others see her? Having fought a one sided battle ever since her teen years, she could certainly sympathize with what Buffy saw about Faith.

“And besides,” Buffy added as the waiter returned with their dinner, placing the two plates down on the table. “It’s not like we keep all of our secrets a secret. Hell, you told me that you’re gay.” As Willow put on a rather stern look, she quickly continued, “Not that I have any problem with that. I mean, you like girls. So what? Nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all…”

“Buff, I seem to recall baring my soul before we went on this unplanned detour to tangent-ville?”

“Sorry.”

Willow blushed, and then began to tell her tale. “I was a teenager. It was before we met. My parents were divers, and I always went with them whenever they were on vacation. Well, I never went went with them, since they wanted to keep me safe. Anyways, I think that helped prepare me for my eventual discovery. I’ve always had a thing for the water, but the pool was always crowded. So one night, I snuck inside after it was closed…”

Buffy couldn’t help but smile. “Go, Will! Never imagined you to be one to go against the rules.”

Willow felt herself smile. “Never thought of myself that way, either. In any case, when I was there, I started to get…feelings.”

“Feelings? What kind of…”

“Sexual.”

“Sexual? About water?”

Willow nodded.

“And you…acted…on them?”

Willow bit her lower lip. This was the part where it could go wrong. “Yes. And I know what you’re going to say. It’s sick. It’s demented. It’s strange and something that you just couldn’t understand. That’s what you think, isn’t it?”

Buffy tilted her head as she thought about it for a moment. She lifted her fork and began to twirl her pasta. “You know, you think it would be, but it really isn’t.”

Willow clearly wasn’t ready for that. “What?”

Buffy took a bite of her meal, then put her fork down on the plate. “Willow, you’re not as alone as you think you are. I’ve been into the water ever since I was young. I’ve won medals in swimming competitions. I got certified as a diver as soon as I was able in order to broaden my horizons. I took that job as a lifeguard in order to combine my love of the water with my love of helping people. Now, I’ll admit that I’ve never felt the way that you do about being underwater, but if you feel that way, then it’s something that makes you unique, not something that you should be ashamed of. Everyone has their kinks, Will. This one’s yours.”

As Willow took up her own fork and began to eat, she couldn’t help but be elated. Her sexuality was, and still is, something that she was reluctant to share with others. It certainly didn’t help her that her particular kink was a small minority in the vast reservoir of sexual fetishes. And she certainly felt some apprehension about telling Buffy, not only because it had to do with Tara, but because it had to do with revealing to someone else a part of herself that was private. But as she watched Buffy explain herself, she realized that she had been wrong in keeping this from her. Of all the people in the world, Buffy was the one who could understand her the most. What a fool she must have been to think otherwise.

“But,” Buffy added. “If we can detour back onto the drowning issue for a moment…”

Willow set down her fork and braced herself for the worst, but realizing that she had deserved it. There was no way Buffy was going to let that issue drop.

“Just because I understand how you felt doesn’t mean I’m willing to let that make me tell you that was a good idea,” Buffy continued. “That sort of thing isn’t something you do alone.” She paused, and broke out into a grin that rivaled Willow’s patented quirky smile. “I mean, it is…just not…down there…you know? You know what I mean, right?”

Willow smiled. “Sure, Buff. I get it.”

“So you won’t do it again?”

Willow shook her head.

You swear?”

Willow nodded in agreement, though inwardly she was heartbroken by the fact that she had to lie to Buffy about that. No matter how dangerous it was, underwater masturbation wasn’t an activity she was willing to part with. She just promised herself that she wouldn’t do it anywhere where her equipment could get damaged.

Equipment…

Willow realized she had completely forgotten why she had begun talking in the first place. Picking up her fork once again, she asked the question that, thanks to Buffy’s recent revelation, was made easier. “Buff, I need to ask you something.”

“Sure, Will. Whatever you need.”

“I need to borrow your tank.”

Buffy cocked an eyebrow. “Why?”

Willow blushed. “I…kinda damaged mine when I…”

Despite herself, Buffy allowed a small smile to form on her lips. “It must have been one powerful experience, Will, for you to have done that.”

“Haven’t had one like it since my first,” Willow admitted.

Buffy let out a small chuckle, then suddenly shifted gears back into what she affectionately dubbed “mother-mode”. “Is your new friend going to be there with you?”

Willow grew uncomfortable at the question. “I think so.”

“You think?”

Willow decided to tell Buffy as much as she could about Tara. “Well, she’s rather…shy. And I didn’t act grateful when she helped. She might think I’m a bit of a…spaz.”

Buffy let out a chuckle. “Will, I’ve known you for years. Trust me, acting like a spaz isn’t enough of a reason to dislike you.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.”

Willow took another bite of her meal and chewed thoughtfully. Then a thought struck her. “You could come with me.”

“Huh?”

“To meet…my friend.”

“You sure, Will?” Buffy asked. “I mean, from what I can tell, she sounds like someone pretty special. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of…well, anything.”

“I’m sure, Buff,” Willow answered. “I’m sure she won’t mind seeing another friendly face.”

As the two continued to eat their dinner in silence, Willow’s mind frantically tried to put logic to the situation. ”Who am I kidding? Tara was freaked out enough by me, and here I am inviting Buffy to come meet her. And what will Tara think about me bringing another unwanted guest into her kind’s underwater kingdom?”

These thoughts raced through her head for the rest of the night. Once she and Buffy finished eating, they made their way home. Once there, Buffy called the docks to reserve a boat for the next day. The two then spent an hour going over their gear, preparing it for the trip they would take the next day.

All the while, Willow’s thoughts were on Tara, and how she would react to Buffy. Then her thoughts shifted to how Buffy would react to Tara.

One way or another, tomorrow promised to be a most interesting day.

**

Tara could feel something in the ocean. A monumental shift in the currents and eddies had just occurred, but she wasn’t too sure what to make of it. Whatever it was left an impression on her mind that was difficult to shake off.

Holding her head in one hand, Tara slid into the water and dove under, coming to rest on the rocks below. She hoped that, by spending time underwater after such a long period above it, her nerves would calm down. But no matter how hard she tried, the feelings persisted and linger. And she couldn’t help but feel that something had just gone horribly wrong.

Surprisingly, her thoughts shifted to Willow, and Tara realized that somehow, she was at the center of the disturbance. She thought ever so briefly about what might have happened to her. Had she told someone about what happened yesterday? Was she in any danger? Was she hurt?

Tara’s heart longed to find out the answers to these questions, but she realized that she would have to wait to find out. Something about the tremors she felt indicated Willow’s return to the ocean floor, something that Tara anticipated with a mixture of fear and delight.

She let out a yawn, and realized how tired she felt. Having been awake since the early morning, the need for sleep crested over her like the tides themselves. Shifting uncomfortably on the rocks she was splayed on, she moved to an outcrop that seemed less likely to cause her back problems and settled as comfortably as she could manage.

Tara closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, somewhat afraid of what she would find when they met the world once more.

[Thianne]

DIBS!!! YAY, i'm first! the first to tell you that i love this chapter! and, btw, i could never hate you, sweetie

i love how accepting your buffy is, and i think that this:

“It must have been one powerful experience, Will, for you to have done that.”

“Haven’t had one like it since my first,” Willow admitted.

Buffy let out a small chuckle

was really funny, but at the same time.....i don't know, touching? i can't explain why, though.

i just hope that tara doesn't freak when she sees buffy, and of course, that buffy doesn't freak when she sees tara. because if they did willow would freak about the whole situation and there would be a whole lot of freaking floating around. yeah. so, can we just forget the last sentence?

[Devi Crystalseeker]

I'm glad Buffy reacted as understandingly as she did (and I do hope taking her to meet Tara won't mess things up!).

Interesting how you're bringing Faith in there, too (and I'm sorry I can't comment more intelligently atm).

[SithLordWiccan]

Thianne: Glad to hear you don't hate me. But don't worry. When I get around to doing the smut, you're just gonna luv me.

I really see Buffy as a mother figure, especially when it comes to Willow. The scene was meant to invoke the two scenes they share in "Welcome to the Hellmouth". I really think that's where Willow/Buffy fans get their ideas. I had thought the exchange you quoted might be a little too TMI for some people, but if you didn't have a problem with it, I can't imagine anyone else would.

As for whether or not Buffy and Tara would freak about each other...well, it's coming up soon.

Devi: Yeah, Buffy's all understanding when it comes to Willow's quirks. As far as Tara goes...well, time will tell. As for Faith, the chapter coming up (I hope) explains her role in the story better.

(Where, oh where, have my readers all gone? Where, oh where, can they be?)

[SithLordWiccan]

[center]Chapter Eight[/center]

Willow awoke the next morning fearful about the day’s planned activities. It wasn’t that she wasn’t excited about meeting Tara again, of course. That had been the goal she had been working towards. There had been one unfortunate complication, and it was one that she had brought into the equation.

She wondered for a moment if she was moving too fast by asking Buffy to come meet Tara. She had been thinking about that ever since she had brought it up, and the night’s rest hadn’t made her feel any better about it. What stung the redhead the most was how much her possessiveness for Tara and the need to keep her a secret from others played into that invitation. She wanted to share something with the two people who were important in her life, but wasn’t quite sure if she wanted to share them with each other.

Willow’s forehead creased as she thought of what exactly it was she wanted to share with Tara. The question of what she wanted to share was easy as far as Buffy was concerned. Having spent the majority of their friendship hiding something that was special to her, it was a relief, after their discussion last night, to know that she could be more open with her friend. But with Tara, it was different. There was an abundance of things that she wanted to share with the beautiful blonde mermaid, but Willow found herself asking if she really wanted to include her best friend. And something about what had happened between the two of them that told Willow that it might be a good idea to keep human contact with Tara limited. But at the same time, she knew that it would not be possible for her to keep something like this from Buffy. Best to get it out of the way now before something worse happened.

Getting out of bed, Willow moved to put on her bathrobe as she made her way to the bathroom. She was not entirely surprised to find Buffy already there brushing her hair, clad in sweatpants and a loose fitting tank top. The blonde turned as Willow opened the door, gently knocking on it as she did so.

“Hey, Will. Feel better?”

“Kinda.”

“Excited about today?”

Willow pursed her lips as she thought about how to reply. She certainly was, but the thought of having Buffy there was enough to give her doubts. “Kinda.”

Buffy gave Willow a curious look. “What do you mean ‘kinda?’ You were all excito-gal last night.”

“I was…I mean, I am…but…”

Buffy looked into the mirror as she put the hairbrush down and reached for the red toothbrush lying in the cup near the faucet. “Will, are you having second thoughts about me coming along with you?”

Willow had to admit that she was, but it was hard for her to describe why. And as she brushed her teeth, Buffy was also taking the time to figure out what exactly was going on inside the redhead’s mind. Willow’s decision to invite her to go to meet this new person in her life was obviously one she jumped to prematurely. It was a situation that the blond could easily sympathize with. Last night, Willow had said something that had been deeply personal, and obviously felt guilty enough about it to overcompensate by putting out the idea that they should go together.

”I wonder what would have happened if I went into psychology,” Buffy thought. ”Willow’s certainly given me enough practice at dealing with the emotional problems of other people.”

“I understand, Will,” she said aloud, noticing that Willow instantly looked relieved at that. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll come with you just to meet your friend, and then I’ll head back to the boat and give you two some time alone. Does that sound OK?”

Willow couldn’t believe it. Buffy was, once again, going out of her way to be extremely nice to her. And she couldn’t really decide whether or not she liked it. Still, if it meant that she could deal with Tara without undue complications, she was more than willing to take advantage of her generosity.

“Thanks,” she said as Buffy walked past her to head back to her room.

“No problem, Will,” the blonde said in reply. “Now get a move on. If what you’ve said is true, something tells me we want to get out there before the tourists do.”

**

Faith pulled up to the beach on her scooter, the one possession that she had managed to save throughout her long journey to California. The machine was as close to her as any lover, allowed her the freedom to go anywhere she wanted, and meant she didn’t have to take any shit from anybody.

She reflected for a moment on her long and strange journey to the west coast. Having grown up in Boston as the only daughter of a single mother who spent more time on the couch than she did on the employment line, she knew from an early age that the only person she could depend on was herself. She wasn’t what one would consider to be the educated type, though she knew enough to get by.

The only thing that made her feel good was the water. There was something about it that she couldn’t describe, but the first time she swam in the local pool, she felt like she was cleansing herself of all the neglect, heartbreak and disillusionment she felt towards the world.

Plus, it didn’t hurt that she looked pretty damn fine in a bikini.

Leaving home when she was sixteen, the only things Faith took with her were the scooter and two hundred dollars that she had swiped from her mother’s wallet. The money had been spent more quickly than she would have wanted, and in order to scrounge up enough cash, she started taking small jobs in whatever city she found herself in, making enough to be able to get to her next destination. While it would have been easier for her to steal the money, she didn’t want to have the stigma of being a criminal attached to her. It was something that made her think of her mother, and she knew that she could be better than that.

Four years passed before two things happened that would change her life forever. Having suffered through the horror of having to resort to prostitution in order to get the money she needed to survive, Faith knew she had hit a low point in her life. Returning to the homeless shelter that had become her home ever since she arrived in California, she met someone who was able to look at her for who she was and not where she had come from. And who, after learning about her love of swimming, recommended that she get into the lifeguard business as a means to help others.

Faith had to admit that the job certainly made her feel better about herself. Knowing that she was going to be responsible for the lives of other people made her work harder at this than she ever had at anything else. It had taken some time, and a lot of hard work, but she had made it.

She was sent to join the forces at Hermosa. And up until two weeks ago, she never realized that there might be anyone else in the world quite like her. Then she had heard some of her fellow lifeguards talking about Buffy “The Savior” Summers of Santa Monica, and from the way they talked, it sounded as if she was someone Faith would really like to meet. She had then requested, and was granted, a transfer to Santa Monica Beach, where she came under Buffy’s wing.

That had been nearly a week ago, and things between them had been great. Buffy had even told her about her best friend Willow, who Faith thought would be someone else to get along with, if what the blonde had said about her was any indication. After yesterday, however, she had to wonder. The redhead had seemed to be put off by her, and Faith could see why, knowing that her appearance was one that made others think that she was some sort of predator. Faith knew that it must have made Willow upset to find her best friend with someone else. She hoped that Buffy could convince Willow that she wasn’t that bad.

Stepping off the scooter and taking out the key, Faith walked up to the lifeguard tower. It was rather early, but with Buffy taking the weekend off, she wanted to make sure that nothing went wrong. Stepping up the ramp, she opened the door and stepped inside, securing it behind her.

Once she was sure it was private, she took off her shoes and socks, stuffing the socks inside the shoes and setting them off to the side. She then removed her shirt, tossing it on top of the shoes. She finished her strip by unbuttoning her jeans and letting them slide down her legs, which she then slipped out of and kicked to the side.

Moving from the pile of clothes on the floor to the mirror on the opposite side of the room, Faith gave herself a quick once over. She admired how well the one piece swimsuit hugged her body, amply displaying her curves and generously accentuating her ass. She enjoyed the stares she always seemed to get from the boys and men who populated the beach, though she never let it interfere with her work.

After several moments, Faith turned and opened the door, walking out of the tower and leaning on the wooden railing. She thought once again about the way that Willow had looked at her. She would have to talk to Buffy about the best way to change that. If Buffy was friends with Willow, Faith wanted to be as well.

But for now, she had a long day of work ahead of her. Moving to withdraw a folding chair and a pair of binoculars from inside the tower, she moved to sit down and begin her scan of the area. As her gaze drifted across the sands, she said a silent prayer to Buffy, hoping that she and Willow enjoyed their day together.

**

Willow sat on the side of the rented boat, clad in a one piece black wetsuit that covered her entire body and checked Buffy’s tank for what seemed like the hundredth time. She knew that she had no reason to be worried about it. As a professional, Buffy always kept her equipment in perfect working order and the reason for her obsessive compulsiveness was simply her transference of the nervousness she felt about her best friend and her new friend meeting face to face.

It was certainly a troublesome situation, and it was only through trial and error that she would find out how it would play out. Zipping up the wetsuit, she turned to look at Buffy, who was also clad in a black full body wetsuit. Willow couldn’t help but notice how well her friend’s body fit into it, the black rubber highlighting the ampleness of her chest quite nicely and, blushing as her eyes caught sight of it, magnifying the already shapely curve of Buffy’s ass.

”Buffy’s certainly got a flair for exhibition,” she thought absently. ”Even when she’s fully clothed, she’s got a way of making it all stand out.”

Buffy moved to put on her buoyancy compensator, the back of which rested a tank rented from the dive shop. When the pair had stopped there on the way to the docks, Willow had vehemently insisted that she be the one to wear the rented equipment, but Buffy would have none of it, insisting that, since her equipment was top of the line, Willow would feel safer if she used it.

Strapping the heavy equipment onto her back, Buffy took a few test breaths from the regulator. Satisfied that everything was OK, she turned to Willow. “You ready, Will?”

Putting on her mask, Willow turned to look Buffy in the eye. “Yeah.” Then, as Buffy moved to put on her own mask, added, “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“For…accepting me as I am.” It was a simple phrase, and yet there was so much behind it. For the longest time, she had kept to herself, never letting anyone get to know the real person that was Willow Rosenberg. Even when she had told Buffy that she was gay, she still kept her most private secrets, especially her status as an aquaphile, close to her heart. But in the past forty eight hours, a lot had happened to change her outlook on life. And she was happy that the two people who mattered most in that life played a vital part in it.

Buffy took Willow’s gloved hand into her own and gently squeezed. “I wouldn’t want you to be anyone other than who you really are, Will. And I want you to be happy. Now let’s go meet your friend.”

Willow nodded, put on her fins and placed the regulator into her mouth. Buffy followed suit, also attaching a writing slate to her weight belt that would allow them to communicate underwater. The two then each placed a hand on their faces to keep both their air supply and their masks on, then dove as one into the ocean.

**

Tara awoke and looked around, finding some comfort in the familiar surroundings. The uneasiness that she had felt the previous day had passed, and she felt more clearheaded and able to think.

Swimming to the surface, she allowed herself to float gracefully on the water’s edge, looking up at the ceiling of rock above her head and wondering if Willow would come to visit today. She found it curious that she was now expecting an event that she had been dreading before.

Thinking about it, Tara realized now that, no matter what happened between them, she would always have the brief contact that they had shared when Willow had first awoken. Thinking back on that moment, Tara thought about the things Willow had said. She knew of mermaids, citing one named Ariel. The most curious thing she had said about this Ariel was that she had a tail.

She looked down at her feet, waggling her toes as a small smile formed on her face. Knowing now why she looked the way she did, Tara was sad that she would never be able to have the enhanced mobility that a tail offered. Her legs had given her a strong swimming ability, but she couldn’t help but wonder what could have been.

It was a surprise that they were able to communicate as well as they did. Tara wondered how much of the conversation Willow had understood. While her manner of speech was such that she could communicate with others of her kind rather well, it made verbal communication rather difficult. She knew that Willow had been able to pick out the general idea of what she was saying. She also knew a spell that would give the redhead the ability to understand her better. If she came back, Tara would ask if she could perform it on her.

The thought sent a double wave of depression over her. She was accepting two very important things as fact by thinking that: that her ability to perform the spell on Willow was something she could justify enough to say that it wasn’t a further violation of her clan’s tenets, and that the redhead would indeed return to her.

Tara sighed. She knew it was rather sudden to assume that after only two days, but a cloud continually hung over her. Willow’s experience may have been enough to convince her never to return to the water, regardless of the reason.

Suddenly Tara felt uneasy. Her danger sense had been awakened, and was now telling her that an imminent danger was approaching. It was impossible that any of her fellow mermaids were coming to find her. Only Baji knew of her secret hideaway, and she would never have come to her so abruptly. It could only mean that humans were near.

Taking a deep breath, she stretched her senses out into the ocean, trying to pick up something in the approaching presences. She immediately felt two distinct forces. One was strange to her, but an air of curiosity and a sense of honor and purpose identified it as one that was pure of heart. The other felt familiar, yet carried a sense of apprehension. Whoever this second person was clearly worried that whatever it was doing was for the good, yet could not fully convince itself.

Tara’s blood grew as cold as the water around her. The familiar presence must have been Willow. But what was she doing? Did she bring someone here to capture her? Had she told someone else about her experience and was now sending others to investigate?

“Willow?” Tara said to the air. “What have I done?”

She had to hide, but knew that she could not escape without being spotted. And there weren’t any adequate hiding places in the cave. The irony that the cave itself was meant to be a hiding place was not lost on her.

As she scrambled to the rocky surface, Tara quietly accepted the inevitability of what was going to happen, knowing full well that she had brought it down upon herself, and that whatever was about to happen was either a reward or punishment for her actions.

[Thianne]

DIBS! again! i'm becoming really good at this! *dances around elated with joy*

Plus, it didn’t hurt that she looked pretty damn fine in a bikini.

no *chuckling*, doesn't hurt at all

She hoped that Buffy could convince Willow that she wasn’t that bad.

awwww....poor thing. i love the complexity of the character you're creating, i've always loved faith (except when she was a psycotic murderer) and i like it that in your story she's a good and honest person, even with a difficult past such as hers. that line made want to give her a big, great hug. i mean, look at this:

As her gaze drifted across the sands, she said a silent prayer to Buffy, hoping that she and Willow enjoyed their day together.

she's so sweet!

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“For…accepting me as I am.”

and again i say: awwwww.

As she scrambled to the rocky surface, Tara quietly accepted the inevitability of what was going to happen, knowing full well that she had brought it down upon herself, and that whatever was about to happen was either a reward or punishment for her actions.

and i think enphatically reward! yes!

and, you know, does TMI mean too much information? i can guess, but sometimes i really don't know.....like, what the hell does AWOL mean?

love

[db]

oooh. intrigue and cliffhanger-y goodness.

How will the Buffy / Tara meeting go?

Will Willow and Tara have time to get to know one another?

,,, and if they do, how will the whole I brought my buddy Buffy thing go over?

I have to say I don't really get Faith in this. I suspect you are trying to set up some sort of curiosity over that, but right now, she confuses me.

Keep up the good work!

db

[Artemis]

You're updating fast! Or else I'm being lazy and leaving feedback slowly. One of these things is true, that's for sure.

Anyhoo, these past two chapters have been interesting. A very bold move on Willow's part to invite Buffy along to see Tara, sight unseen - I get that she wants to open herself up to her friend after all this time, but it's a big risk, just springing a mermaid on her. But that's Willow for you, cautious one moment, full-steam-ahead the next. I did like Buffy's reaction to Willow's 'big' secret - isn't it always the way, the big secrets turn out not to be so big after all. I'm glad that Tara isn't just running (swimming) the heck away, having sensed someone with Willow, but there's something bothersome about how quickly she accepts what she fears may be a nasty fate. If her and Willow come to the attention of these Elders, Tara may to have to stand up and fight, not just accept what comes and hope for the best.

As for Faith, that was an enlightening introduction to her. It's kind of sad that Willow's first impression was so wrong, but I worry that Faith may not really know how to go about setting things right - in wanting to be accepted so eagerly, she may come across even more as the predator Willow's worried she is (and Faith herself recognises that she can seem like).

[Darth Pacula]

G'day, Sith.

(Where, oh where, have my readers all gone? Where, oh where, can they be?)

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I was involved in a rather complicated plan for world domination involving Steve Irwin, an Uber-Hypnotizing machine and an army of cybernetic, mutated Koala-men. Needless to say the plan went tits up, and the world remains pointedly not under the iron fist of my benevolently tyrannical rule.

Oh, and the reason I though Baji was male was that I could have sworn that you said he at some point in that chapter.

It's good that Willow's finally come clean to Buffy about the nature of the attraction that water holds for her. Honesty's good for the soul, or so I've heard.

I'm not so sure about the idea of taking Buffy with her though. We are talking about proof that honest-to-god mermaids actually exist. Sure, I'm sure that Buffy would keep the secret of Tara's existence, but the integrity of a secret is weakened by each and every person that becomes privy to it. I can't help but think that it can't end well.

Not to mention she should have cleared it with Tara first. There is a reason that their existence isn't an acknowledged fact, and I would have expected Willow to twig onto that. But then again, she's always been the type to let herself get carried away with her own enthusiasm.

The little glimpses into Faith's life were interesting to read. It sounds like she really hasn't had the best life, but unlike her cannon counterpart, she doesn't seem determined to nurse her anger at the hand life handed her.

As her gaze drifted across the sands, she said a silent prayer to Buffy, hoping that she and Willow enjoyed their day together.

Umm, did something escape my attention? Did Buffy become a deity when I wasn't looking? A prayer to Buffy, rather than for Buffy?

Oh, and if I might presume: Thianne, AWOL is a military acronym, meaning Away WithOut Leave. Basically, it means that someone has left their duty post without permission.

Cheers,
Paul.

[SithLordWiccan]

Thianne: Well, maybe it's cause you're enjoying my work so much that you're the first one to read it. (You certainly can't be the only one reading it, after all.) I will admit that I chuckled a bit at that line. Eliza Dushku in a skimpy bathing suit certainly isn't something you would normally dislike, isn't it? And I like the fact that I am creating a more complex characterization of her than one would expect. It certainly becomes important later in the story.

db: You'll find out soon. It's coming up in the next update. I am rather surprised that you can't get Faith in this story (especially since this chapter was indeed supposed to give more complexity). Ah, well. Maybe it will become clearer later on.

Chris: Well, I spent the last two weekends working hard on Chapters 7-11 so that I could have something to work with. I did this because I won't be able to spend as much time as I would like working on this in the next month (I have to work on a Psychology project that's due at the end of the month.)

It certainly was a big move on Willow's part for her to invite Buffy to come meet Tara. I figured that, even though she's revealed her big secret, she still feels guilty about it enough to try to get her involved with her activities (well, not those kind of activities...) As for how Buffy handled Willow's secret, I felt that doing it this way showcased Willow in a way that I guess is kinda close to canon: keeping things a secret until she spazes out about them. Of course, in this case, it turns out that it wasn't such a big deal at all. And as I said before, Buffy's kind of a mother to Willow, and so she would probably accept her no matter what she did or what she's like. (Note that I said "probably".)

As for Tara...well, I can't go into too much detail about it now given that it reveals upcoming things I want to keep under wraps, but she's undergoing a character change just as Willow is. While Willow is becoming more open about her love of water, Tara, thanks to her developing feelings for Willow, is starting to question the rules that she's been hard and fast set on sticking to her entire life. She still carries some apprehension right now, though, and that's why I had her say that, whatever happens now, it's all her fault and she has to pay for it.

And you're correct in saying that it's not going to be easy for Faith to try and get Willow to accept her. Especially when...well, I can't let that out yet, but when it happens, you'll realize it.

Paul: You mean you were part of some big evil conspiracy to take over the world? AND YOU DIDN'T INVITE ME?!

...

Just kidding. I've got my own secret plot for world domination, but now I gotta wonder whether or not I should include you in it.

Anyways, onto the fb...

I checked over Chapter Five, where Baji made the most of her appearances, and I never once saw any mention that she was a "he". Then again, maybe its cause I had "she" so many times that it ran together. Who knows?

Honesty is good for the soul, and Willow is thankful that things are all right now. Of course, nothing stays the same forever, so only time will tell if that holds true. And you're right that it may not have been a good idea that Willow invited Buffy to come meet Tara. Of course, Willow's more concerned about hoping the two most important people in her life get along rather than how much of a problem it will later be.

When I thought about including Faith in this fic, I wanted to have someone who could make Willow feel uncomfortable. (And really, when that sort of thing happens, Faith's the only one who readily comes to mind. Of course, there's also Anya, but I just didn't see Anya and Buffy meshing together well.) The fact that she seems so determined not to let the crappiness of her life get her down is sort of a play on my own determination not to let my current situation bring me down. I mean, like Faith, I am also going through some tough times. But frankly, after dealing with it for so long, I've gotten to the point where I realize that I'm the only one who can do anything about it. So I am.

And thank you for being the Spell Police. Honestly, even when I'm trying as hard as I can, little errors like that keep finding their way into this thing.

Thanks for reading.

[Devi Crystalseeker]

(Gah, pardon the accidental double post!)

[Devi Crystalseeker]

It was a situation that the blond could easily sympathize with.

Spike is blond. Buffy, being female, is blonde.

The machine was as close to her as any lover, allowed her the freedom to go anywhere she wanted, and meant she didn’t have to take any shit from anybody.

Now I'm thinking of how Mara Jade felt about the Jade's Fire (Sithy will get the reference if no one else will ). Actually, you could draw a parallel between (pre-Luke) Mara and Faith to some degree – the whole "a hurt core in a very hard shell" thing.

Returning to the homeless shelter that had become her home ever since she arrived in California, she met someone who was able to look at her for who she was and not where she had come from. And who, after learning about her love of swimming, recommended that she get into the lifeguard business as a means to help others.

Was that someone Wesley, or will he come into the story at some other point (if he will)?

Once she was sure it was private, she took off her shoes and socks, stuffing the socks inside the shoes and setting them off to the side. She then removed her shirt, tossing it on top of the shoes. She finished her strip by unbuttoning her jeans and letting them slide down her legs, which she then slipped out of and kicked to the side.

We don't really need a blow-by-blow description of Faith taking off her clothes, IMHO. Yes, yes, everyone likes to meditate about Eliza Dushku undressing , but the way it's written here, it's not even sensual, just... mundane detail. (Nothing personal!)

OTOH, I think the "admiring herself in the window" bit works in this context, since it would be in character for Faith to be this narcissistic.

Overall, I must say I like your portrayal of Faith. She's got that narcissistic side I just mention, but you still portray her compassionately, if you know what I mean. Nice balance. I mean, the thing with Faith is that she's Buffy's "there but for the grace of God." If you don't feel for her on some level, you didn't "get" her.

the black rubber highlighting the ampleness of her chest quite nicely

If I wanted to be mean, I could post a photo of SMG and question the "ample" claim, but eh – this story is AU as all get out anyhow, so who says Buffy isn't big-chested in this universe?

She looked down at her feet, waggling her toes as a small smile formed on her face. Knowing now why she looked the way she did, Tara was sad that she would never be able to have the enhanced mobility that a tail offered. Her legs had given her a strong swimming ability, but she couldn’t help but wonder what could have been.

What a cute scene! (And yes, that's a compliment.) Though of course, for the purpose of this story, it's good that Tara doesn't have a tail, otherwise the NC-17 lovin' would be rather... difficult.

*wibbles at Scared!Tara* Oh please, let it go well...

Overall, I liked the chapter – Buffy is very sympathetic, what with being caring/accepting towards Willow, and Tara is her usual lovely self.

Also, I liked how you portrayed Willow as having misgivings about introducing Buffy to Tara not just from the "Hmm, maybe it's not such a good idea to show her a real honest-to-goodness mermaid" angle, but also in a "I just kinda like having something that's just, you know, mine" way.

Now go write the next chapter - can't leave us hanging after you gave us such an evil cliffie! *hugs*

[SithLordWiccan]

Was that someone Wesley, or will he come into the story at some other point (if he will)?

It was meant to be Angel, and a nod to their conversation in "Consequences". Of course, this Faith took it a lot better than Canon Faith did.

We don't really need a blow-by-blow description of Faith taking off her clothes, IMHO. Yes, yes, everyone likes to meditate about Eliza Dushku undressing , but the way it's written here, it's not even sensual, just... mundane detail. (Nothing personal!) OTOH, I think the "admiring herself in the window" bit works in this context, since it would be in character for Faith to be this narcissistic.

I know that it was a little...too much. But at the same time, I really couldn't figure out how else to write that scene. I'm not exactly great at writing smut (despite all the evidence), so it's kind of hard for me to write scenes like that. And I threw in the nod about her looking in the mirror as a way to say that, even though this Faith isn't Canon Faith, she still shares some of her characteristics.

Overall, I must say I like your portrayal of Faith. She's got that narcissistic side I just mention, but you still portray her compassionately, if you know what I mean. Nice balance. I mean, the thing with Faith is that she's Buffy's "there but for the grace of God." If you don't feel for her on some level, you didn't "get" her.

Indeed. As much as it is in Canon, Faith looks up to Buffy. Of course, unlike Canon Buffy, this Buffy actually accepts and welcomes her.

If I wanted to be mean, I could post a photo of SMG and question the "ample" claim, but eh – this story is AU as all get out anyhow, so who says Buffy isn't big-chested in this universe?

I never meant to suggest that Buffy was...how can I put this? Well built? But clothing like wetsuits does tend to amplify such qualities.

What a cute scene! (And yes, that's a compliment.) Though of course, for the purpose of this story, it's good that Tara doesn't have a tail, otherwise the NC-17 lovin' would be rather... difficult.

Well, I dunno. I probably could have found a way to make Tail Mermaid Tara/Willow sex work. My mind certainly is deranged enough. And if Chris can do Tail Sex, why can't I? Of course, I chickened out.

And speaking of W/T loving, don't worry, folks. It is coming soon.

Overall, I liked the chapter – Buffy is very sympathetic, what with being caring/accepting towards Willow, and Tara is her usual lovely self.

Like I said before, Buffy is sort of a mother figure for Willow and Tara is curious and will probably always love Willow, no matter what happens.

Also, I liked how you portrayed Willow as having misgivings about introducing Buffy to Tara not just from the "Hmm, maybe it's not such a good idea to show her a real honest-to-goodness mermaid" angle, but also in a "I just kinda like having something that's just, you know, mine" way.

Yeah, I had fun with that, and I think that it creates a more complicated situation for Willow. On the one hand, she's eager to share herself, and thus Tara, with Buffy. But on the other hand, she wants to keep Tara a secret, just as least until she can figure her out some more.

Now go write the next chapter - can't leave us hanging after you gave us such an evil cliffie! *hugs*

I've actually got the next chapter done. I just need to get beta comments back for it. Should go up tomorrow at the latest. (But don't hold me to that.)

[SithLordWiccan]

• Title: Under The Sea (Chapter Nine)
• Author: SithLordWiccan (Alex)
• Email address: decepticons_4_ever@hotmail.com
• Feedback: Feel free to leave it here. Or send me a e-mail. Or a PM. Or all three. I don’t really care. All comments read. Positive feedback welcomed, negative feedback to be collected, put in a rocketship and blasted into the sun.
• Distribution: Through The Looking-glass (http://www.uberwillowtara.com) Mystic Muse (http://www.mysticmuse.net)
• Rating: NC-17
• Disclaimer: This fic contains situations that may be considered unusual and strange to some. These include (but are not limited to) underwater sex between two females, breathholding and implied drowning. If any of this disgusts you, stop reading now and go find something else to do. This disclaimer is here for a reason: to let me off the hook so that I can feel free to go into as much smutty detail as I want without having to feel guilty about it. All "Buffy" characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
• Summary: Tara is a member of a race of undersea mermaids. Willow is a recreational diver who stumbles into their territory. Smutty underwater loving ensues.

[center]Chapter Nine[/center]

Willow’s breath came in rapid bursts, the bubbles caused by her exhalations rising in a near constant stream to the surface. She looked up at the cascading inferno caused by her own breathing, realizing that it might be a good idea to keep it under control, lest she run the risk of running out of oxygen as she had the last time she was underwater. It occurred to her that she was doing this because she was nervous not only about seeing Tara once again, but also because she wasn’t sure how Buffy would react. Willow had to admit that she wasn’t sure which caused her the most anxiety.

The redhead felt a gentle squeeze on her gloved hand then, and turned her head to look at Buffy, her blonde hair floating around her head like a golden picture frame. Willow was glad for her friend’s comforting touch, realizing that it served a dual purpose: it made sure that they would not be separated, and every so often when Buffy would send a comforting squeeze back as she had just done, it made her feelings of nervousness dissipate.

If only for a moment.

Willow turned back to see that they were approaching the cave where Tara had taken her a mere two days ago. So much had happened to her since her reawakening, not the least of which was her developing feelings for the mysterious blonde mermaid. She was frustrated that she still could not explain those feelings in a way that she was satisfied with. Buffy had helped somewhat with dealing with her concern, even if she had not idea what it was about, but Willow knew that Tara was the only one who could provide the answers she truly sought.

It occurred to Willow that she had truly died two days ago, and the Willow that returned to the surface was a completely different individual. Tara had such a profound impact on her life. And in only two days, it had gotten to the point where she could not concentrate on anything else. What did it mean? Was she going crazy?

Well, that would have to be one of the questions that the redhead hoped Tara could answer.

Kicking her legs in order to increase her pace towards the cave entrance, Willow came to a sudden stop as she felt Buffy tugging her arm. Turning back to look at the blonde, Willow watched as she shook her head, her grip leaving Willow’s as her other hand reached for her writing slate. As Willow watched, Buffy wrote something down it, and then turned it in her direction.

”What are you doing?”

Confused, Willow motioned to the slate. Buffy handed the writing tool to the redhead, who wrote something down below Buffy’s words. Once she was finished, Willow gave it back to her friend.

”Going to meet my friend.”

Buffy looked at the words, then up at Willow. She pointed to the cave as if to say “In there?” Willow turned to where her friend pointed, turned back around and nodded. Suddenly nervous, the blonde once again wrote something down on the writing slate. After a few moments, she turned it to Willow once more, pointing a finger at her words in order to emphasize their meaning.

”It’s too dangerous, Will. I may be certified for cave diving, but you aren’t. And who knows what we could encounter in there.”

Willow tried not to let her disappointment at Buffy’s concern show. It was obvious that the blonde was just looking out for her best interests, making sure that she didn’t do anything stupid. She had done that sort of thing since high school. And it certainly didn’t help that, in this instance, she was right. The last time she went into a cave alone, things almost didn’t turn out so well for her. But when it came to Tara, Willow knew that, no matter what, there was no danger. She implicitly trusted Tara, and that overrode Buffy’s well meaning words.

Taking the slate from Buffy’s hand, Willow wrote something down on its surface. She handed it back to the blonde, a mixture of hope and sadness radiating from her eyes.

Buffy looked at the slate, upon which Willow had written two words.

”Trust me.”

Buffy blew out a breath, the bubbles from her act cascading to the surface. The problem wasn’t that she didn’t trust Willow. In fact, she truly believed that whatever the redhead was thinking, it was a good idea. After all, Willow wasn’t the one for flights of fancy. But there was the fact that what she was proposing now was rather dangerous, and even with an experienced diver like herself nearby, Willow should know better than to do anything as risky as this. Since she wanted to support the redhead in whatever she wanted to do, however, she was left with very little choice. She nodded her head, took Willow’s hand into hers once again, and entered the cave alongside her friend.

**

The pair traveled through the labyrinth of tunnels for several moments, and Buffy was beginning to get worried that they were lost, when they finally reached a cavern. As the pair swam towards the surface, the blonde wondered once again if they had made the right decision to come this way. If something were to happen now, there was almost no chance either of them could get back out.

Breaking through the surface of the water, Buffy removed her regulator, taking a deep breath to test the air. It didn’t seem dangerous, but that didn’t make her feel any better. Looking around, she realized that their destination was as far out of the way as she could imagine. It was certainly a good place for unknown parties to come out and ambush them, the only way out being the path they had just taken.

Buffy suddenly became aware that there was something else in the room. She couldn’t see anything, however, and removed her mask in order to get a better view. She scanned the area, her danger senses on full alert, before finally spotting someone attempting to cower in one corner at the opposite end of the cavern.

The person was unlike anyone she had seen before. Long golden locks flowed from her head, coming to a stop near the small of her back. She was also totally naked, not a single scrap of clothing evident anywhere on her body. What drew Buffy’s attention the most was the fact that, on certain areas of her body, there appeared to be small patches of green that contrasted heavily with her skin. In addition, her neck had several deep gashes that looked like she had been cut. But when Buffy saw them pulse, she realized that they were gills.

“Will, who the…” she started to say, only to see that her companion had already swam forward, approaching the rocks on which the female rested. “Will, stop! You don’t know who that is!”

Willow turned around. “Yes, I do.” She gestured to the person, who was looking increasingly agitated. “Buffy, this is Tara.”

“Tara?”

“She’s the one I was talking about. The one who saved me from drowning.”

The information was just a bit too much for Buffy to absorb. “Will, you can’t mean that she…”

On the rocks now, Willow began to remove her equipment, dividing her attention between Buffy and Tara. “She did, and I couldn’t be happier for it. Now can you come here, please? I really want you to meet her.”

Buffy could sense the subtle, yet uncharacteristic whine in Willow’s request, and left with no other option, swam over to join Willow. As the redhead watched her approach, she turned to look at Tara, green eyes ever hopeful. A connection had been easily made between her and Tara. She hoped once more that the connection could be extended to Buffy. Somehow she thought it would make Tara feel better. Kneeling down, Willow extended her hand, prompting Tara to do the same. Their hands came together, each feeling the radiant heat energy pass between them almost as if the pair shared one heart.

Looking back at her friend, who she noted with some sadness remained in the water, she said, “Tara, this is my best friend. Her name is Buffy.”

Tara turned to look at the newcomer, and offered the briefest of waves. “Hi.”

Her voice was that of a hushed whisper, and Willow instantly grew uncomfortable. She could clearly see how much of a problem Buffy’s presence was causing Tara. Turning to look at her friend, she said, “Buffy, I think you’re scaring Tara.”

Buffy, who had dealt with stranger things in her life, couldn’t help but agree. “To be honest Will, she’s kind of scaring me, too. I think we should get out of here before…”

“Hold on.” Willow insisted, turning back at Tara. “Tara, can I trust you?”

A moment passed before Tara nodded vigorously. Turning to look once more at Buffy, Willow said, “Tara, I’m going to tell you something that’s deeply personal to me. Something that I’ve never told anyone else. But I am going to tell you this because I trust you.” The redhead turned back to Tara. “Do you understand?”

Tara nodded again as Willow looked back at Buffy. “Buffy…is someone important to me. She’s…helped me through some pretty tough times. Kinda like you. I…kept things from her. Things about myself that I shouldn’t have kept hidden. It ate away at my insides, making me feel all icky.” She turned back to Tara, piercing her blue eyes with her own. “But thanks to her, I’ve come to understand that there shouldn’t be any secrets. Especially between the people we care about.”

Tara’s face held a great deal of anguish as she listened to Willow’s tale. If this Buffy was someone who had harmed Willow in the way she had nearly done, she had to wonder why Willow considered the other woman her best friend. It was too confusing for her to figure out. But as Willow finished her tale, she realized that the only reason Willow may have been hurt by Buffy was because she kept things from her. And when Willow said that there should be no secrets, Tara’s face brightened. Along with the fact that it made her feel slightly less afraid to tell Willow her secrets, it meant that the redhead held the other blonde in high regard if she could trust her enough to share a deeply personal secret. And if Willow believed Buffy was a good person, so could Tara.

Willow was glad to see the change in the blonde mermaid, knowing that it would make getting Buffy to accept her that much easier to accomplish. “So, does that mean that you’re not afraid of Buffy anymore?”

Tara shook her head no.

Willow smiled. “Good. But now I have to contradict myself and say that I want to be alone with you for a while. Is that OK?”

Tara nodded once again, a smile on her face. Willow took it as a sign of encouragement. Had she thought about it, however, she would have noted the slight stress lines across the blonde’s forehead, indicating that her happiness was tinged with a sense of doubt and a pensiveness that resulted in the smile losing some of its brightness.

Getting to her feet, Willow walked over to Buffy. “Buff, you mind?”

Buffy hesitated. What she thought was going to be a simple diving trip to meet a new friend of Willow’s had quickly become something else. Not only was Willow’s new friend an unknown who she didn’t feel at all comfortable about, she also had a problem with leaving the redhead alone at this depth. If something bad happened, she wasn’t too sure Willow could escape and make her way back to the surface. She also knew that Willow expected an answer and that she couldn’t just float there and say nothing.

“Will, I have to say that I have a problem with this.”

“You didn’t yesterday,” the redhead retorted.

“Yesterday I didn’t know your friend was…” Buffy hesitated, not really knowing how to finish the sentence without either offending Tara or upsetting Willow. Letting the comment drop, she continued, “Look, Will. I’m worried, is all. There’s something that isn’t right here.”

Willow could hear the unvoiced meaning in Buffy’s words. “It’s about Tara, isn’t it?”

“Will…”

“Buffy, be honest.”

Buffy sighed, the obvious discomfort she felt making the act all the harder to accomplish. “Yeah, Will. It is.”

Willow, while not entirely surprised, was nonetheless taken aback. “Buffy, I know that Tara seems a bit…strange. And I know you just want to look out for me. But I feel something for her. I…I have to figure out what it is. And I kinda want to…find out with nobody else watching. I know I shouldn’t keep that a secret from you, but I kinda wanted to find out for myself and figure out what it means before I tell anyone. Do you understand?”

Buffy pursed her lips, understanding all too well what Willow wanted. This was a classic character trait of hers: finding out something new, trying to learn all she could about it, then deciding whether or not anyone else deserved to know. In that respect, she was willing to allow Willow to stay. Still, she did not entirely like the idea of leaving her all alone with some strange creature, no matter how much Willow proclaimed its good intentions.

But she couldn’t continue to argue with Willow when it appeared that the conversation was going to keep going around in circles. That was another character trait of Willow that, while endearing at most times, was really a pain at times such as this, when it appeared that her life could be in danger.

“Just…be careful, OK? I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Nothing will,” Willow promised.

Buffy moved to replace her mask over her eyes and returned the regulator to her mouth. Then, giving one last glance at Willow and hoping that she wasn’t making a mistake, she dove under the surface and headed back the way they had come.

**

Watching as Willow’s friend returned to the ocean from whence they came, Tara couldn’t help but feel conflicted about what had just happened. The happiness she had felt about hearing Willow speak had dissipated as reality once again set in. Willow had told someone about her. And what was worse, she actually brought that person here. She couldn’t help but wonder what would happen now. Had she inadvertently started a chain reaction that would eventually bring about the destruction of her clan?

On the other hand, Willow had said that she had kept secrets from Buffy, and how much it pained her to do so. Tara realized that it was the same situation in which she found herself. By keeping what she had done a secret, the only person she was harming was herself. And after experiencing the pain of agonizing over whether or not to tell Willow that she nearly killed her, Tara certainly knew how much it could hurt to keep secrets from others. She also wondered what other secrets Willow had, and if Willow would be willing to share them with her.

Looking up, she saw Willow walking back towards her. Tara’s gaze passed across her form. Unlike the last time they had met, in which she wore clothing over her body but kept her legs bare, Willow now wore a form fitting black garment that make little squeaking noises as she moved. There was something about those noises, along with the smell the clothing radiated, that flipped a switch in the back of Tara’s mind, making Willow appear in her mind’s eye as sexy as she had been when the blonde first saw her nude body.

Sitting down in front of Tara, Willow looked into the blonde’s eyes. “Hi.”

Tara returned the stare, hesitant as to how to proceed. “Hi. I glad you come back.”

Willow smiled. “I’m glad to be back.” She looked around the cave. “I love what you’ve done with the place.”

“Place same.”

Willow turned back at Tara, sad that her attempt at humor had failed. The feeling was replaced by the need for her to learn more about the beautiful creature in front of her, something she didn’t get a chance to do the last time they were together. “Tara, I’ve got a lot of questions to ask you. That is, if you wanted to answer them. I mean, I’m not going to force you to answer anything you find uncomfortable or private, but maybe we can start off with some easy questions, like ‘how old are you?’ or…”

“Yes,” Tara interrupted. “I answer questions, only…” She paused, hoping that she could frame her next words better. “I no sure you understand.”

“Understand what? The answers? Well, yeah. Kinda figured that, what with you being a stranger to me. That’s why I was hoping that…”

Tara reached out and touched Willow’s arm, noting ever so briefly how different the touch of her hand against the clothing had been compared to the redhead’s bare skin. Willow had worn a similar piece of clothing the first time they had met, and when the blonde had removed it, she felt as if she was removing a part of Willow’s skin. The thought concerned her greatly, wondering if she was removing a vital part of her body. The immediate danger had made those thoughts secondary, but looking at Willow clothed from neck to ankle in something similar once more, Tara wondered how much the clothing was a part of the redhead’s life. And she also wondered if Willow enjoyed the feeling of it against her skin as much as the blonde enjoyed the feeling of it against her own.

Her mind returned to the task at hand, and she answered Willow’s question. “No, I mean…I no sure talk good for you understand. I think it better if I…help you learn.”

Something about Tara’s voice told Willow that there was something dangerous about what she was trying to say, but the curiosity she felt overrode the potential danger. “Understand? How?”

Tara moved to position herself closer to Willow, arms reaching out for the redhead’s face. “Trust?”

”Trust?” Willow thought as Tara waited for her reply. ”What does she mean by ‘trust?’ Do I trust her? That’s not even a question. Of course I trust her. Except…” She had to think. Whatever it was that Tara was about to do was obviously something personal, and she had the feeling that it would alter her life. ”Then again, a lot of that’s been happening lately. And aside from nearly drowning, nothing bad has happened yet.”

“Yes, Tara,” she said aloud. “I trust you.” Despite the lingering doubts in her mind as to what Tara was going to do to her, the words came straight from the heart.

“You sure?” Tara asked. “Because once I start, spell can’t stop. And there potential for bad…”

Willow took Tara’s hands into hers, and stared deeply into her eyes. The ocean blue of her irises held such love, but that affection was tainted by a sense of caution. Whatever it was Tara wanted to do, it was clear from the look in her eyes that she was frightened about the possibility of it causing her harm. Willow knew, however, that Tara would never knowingly go out of her way to harm her. She couldn’t figure out why she knew this, but it didn’t matter. On some level, conscious or not, she knew Tara would never harm her, and that was enough for her.

“I trust you.” The words were a whisper, but had the strength of an anvil dropping.

Tara swallowed, then took her hands out of Willow’s and placed them on her face. On reflex, Willow closed her eyes, her breath going from shallow and languid to long and deep. The hot air blew into Tara’s face, making it almost impossible for her to concentrate on her spell. And she needed no distractions. This spell she was about to enact had been one she only performed on marine life, never on someone like Willow. If she didn’t do it correctly, it could cause Willow brain damage or, worse yet, leave her in a permanent vegetative state.

Tara would make sure that she performed this spell correctly. She couldn’t risk harming Willow.

Not again.

“Amphitrite, zel kanna de nora el cucco…”

**

Willow had closed her eyes as soon as Tara’s fingers touched her skull, her breathing slowing. She didn’t know why she was doing this, but somehow she knew that whatever was going to happen would work better if she remained calm and did not give Tara undue reason to worry.

She heard Tara chanting in some mysterious language, the same type of language she had heard when she spoke the spell that had allowed her to breathe underwater. And like then, she couldn’t make out the words. But there was so very few words that Tara did speak that Willow could understand. She had only been able to pick out a few key words, and was thankful enough that she could get by on just them.

Suddenly the feeling of Tara’s touch on her skull changed. Where before it had been warm and gentle, there was now a slight, but intense pressure that sent a cold invasion working its way inside her mind. Willow felt herself tense up as the feeling slowly become one that felt like ten ice picks were being slowly shoved into her head. Her urge to tense up increased, but she struggled to calm herself. Willow knew that whatever reason Tara had for doing what she was doing, it would work better if she didn’t do anything that might break her concentration. She had to admit, however, that it was getting more difficult by the moment.

As she continued to fight the urge to tense up, Tara’s words began to change.

“sel denna dio mag…of everlasting understanding. And may she accept this gift with everlasting happiness and joy.”

Willow smiled, finally understanding what it was that Tara was doing. The blonde was bestowing a gift onto her, much like giving her the ability to breathe underwater. And, like before, she was doing it to give the redhead something that she desired most.

”I will,” Willow promised silently. ”I will accept this gift in the spirit that it was given. Anything you give me is a gift, Tara. And I will treasure them forever and always.”

[Willowtree252]

i love this story I don,t trust faith and maybe not Buffy i want willow and tara to get together i can,t belive willow let Buffy come cant wait for more

[Thianne]

so tara gave willow the ability to understand her language? i loved the update! sorry if i don't give you a detailed feedback right now, i'm not feeling very talkative. i will probably do it later. but, just so you know it, i love this story, and i love how you write it.

later!

[caz]

Hi Sith.

I was glad that Willow finally told Buffy her secret and that Buffy accepted it so readily. That's what a best friend should do. However, I think that Willow has made a mistake by taking Buffy to meet Tara. I have a feeling that if any harm comes to Willow, Buffy is gonna blame Tara and she's gonna go looking for her (most probably with Faith's help).

Tara's gift to Willow is so sweet. Now they can converse without any misunderstandings because of the language barrier (Bloody Hell, that line sounds like I've swallowed a dictionary). One piece of advice for Tara - Sweetie, find another place to meet Willow cos I don't trust her best friend.

Looking forward to your next update.

Caz

[WillowsGirlXX]

I started reading this yesterday, oh my god i fell in love with the story straight away, its beautiful.

I love the way you have written this, Tara is just so sweet she's as adorable as ever.

I loved the update today, thank you so much. )
Rachel

[Devi Crystalseeker]

Lovely, lovely chapter! *applauds*

But since Devi can't help being nitpickish... I'm not sure if "locks" is the best word to describe Tara's hair - she's pretty straight-haired, after all. (Unless your lovely mermaid has a completely different hairstyle from canon Tara.)

Keep up the good work!

[SithLordWiccan]

Dianneswillowtree: I'm glad you enjoy this story. Don't worry, I won't keep Willow and Tara apart much longer. Willow pretty much back herself into a corner as far as it concerns Tara, so she didn't really have any choice but to bring her along.

Thianne: Yup. And I'm glad you love the update.

caz: I really wanted Buffy to be an understanding and sympathetic figure, not the type who would freak about things like that. And I agree that it may have been a mistake for Willow to bring her to meet Tara. You'll just have to wait to see how that goes down.

WillowsGirlXX: Hiya! Glad you like the story and the way I write it. And yeah. Mermaid Tara is HAWT!

Devi: Thanks for the love. As for Tara's hair...well, it's not all straight.

Next chapter's all done. It will go up tomorrow. Or later tonight. It depends on how I feel.

[SithLordWiccan]

Yeah, I know this is late. I had to do some last minute editing. Hope you enjoy.

• Title: Under The Sea (Chapter Ten)
• Author: SithLordWiccan (Alex)
• Email address: decepticons_4_ever@hotmail.com
• Feedback: Feel free to leave it here. Or send me a e-mail. Or a PM. Or all three. I don’t really care. All comments read. Positive feedback welcomed, negative feedback to be collected, put in a rocketship and blasted into the sun.
• Distribution: Through The Looking-glass (http://www.uberwillowtara.com) Mystic Muse (http://www.mysticmuse.net)
• Rating: NC-17
• Disclaimer: This fic contains situations that may be considered unusual and strange to some. These include (but are not limited to) underwater sex between two females, breathholding and implied drowning. If any of this disgusts you, stop reading now and go find something else to do. This disclaimer is here for a reason: to let me off the hook so that I can feel free to go into as much smutty detail as I want without having to feel guilty about it. All "Buffy" characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.
• Summary: Tara is a member of a race of undersea mermaids. Willow is a recreational diver who stumbles into their territory. Smutty underwater loving ensues.

[center]Chapter Ten[/center]

Willow felt as if she were wrapped in a cocoon, waiting for the moment in which she would be born anew into the world. Her many adventures in the water had always given her the feeling of being reborn, the fear and shame she felt on the surface washing away as she swam. But this time, there was something…different about it. Willow recalled her earlier thought about having become a different person following her experience two days prior. Well, perhaps she had not become different then, but she certainly had become different now. Being given the gift of being able to fully understand Tara was somehow…magical. Special, even. And unlike anything she had experienced before. There was some pain, but Buffy had always said that pain was the body’s way of knowing you’re still alive.

“Are you OK, Willow?”

Willow heard the words, and realized that she had her eyes closed. Opening them, she gazed into Tara’s own beautiful blue orbs, which still held a note of caution tinged with nervousness. The redhead absently wondered why Tara felt the need to be so cautious around her. There had been the feelings she felt when the blonde had first revived her, and now her fear that whatever she had just done had hurt her. These acts made it rather obvious that Tara was concerned for her welfare, no matter what she did.

”But why?” Willow wondered. ”Does she have feelings for me? Whoa…where did that come from? I mean, yeah. I have feelings for her, too. But…I don’t know what to do with them. And what do I do if she feels the same way? I mean…she’s…well, we’re different. But…something tells me we’re more alike that I think we are. Let’s get back on the tracks for a second, though. Gotta make Tara feel better. After all, Mermaid Tara’s cute. But Worried Tara? Not so cute.”

“Of course I’m OK, Tara,” she said aloud, moving her body over to sit beside the blonde, an arm moving to wrap itself around the other’s waist. “And you don’t have to be so worried. I feel safe with you. I don’t know why, and I can’t explain it, but somehow I know that nothing you do can harm me.”

Tara turned away at that. She was glad that her hair often covered her face, as it helped in situations like this where she didn’t want others to see how emotional she could get. Willow’s words, though well meant, made her feel ashamed. The redhead remained ignorant of the fact that the person she considered herself safe with was also the one responsible for causing what very well might have been the most traumatic experience she ever had. And though it had gnawed at Tara’s conscience ever since, Willow’s presence with her here and now made it worse, especially since the blonde knew that she had to tell her everything. That was why she had performed the spell. She had to make sure that Willow could easily understand what it was that she wanted…no, needed to say. Tara only hoped that she could make her understand that it was an accident.

“Willow…there’s something I need…”

Willow leaned over, removing her hand from Tara’s waist and moving to put it on the blonde’s shoulder. “What is it, Tara?”

Tara flinched as she felt the touch of Willow’s bare hand on her own skin. It was not a touch she deserved. At least, not at the moment. There was only one way that she could gain the right to be touched in this manner. It was going to be difficult, so the sooner she said it, the better.

“Willow…do you remember…how we met?”

Willow smiled. What had happened wasn’t the sort of thing one easily forgot. “Of course, Tara. It was only two days ago. You saved me from drowning in that cave. And I can’t thank you enough for that.”

Tara turned to look Willow in the eye. “Don’t.”

The word gave Willow pause. “Don’t? Don’t what? Thank you?”

Tara nodded. “I don’t deserve your thanks. I don’t deserve your…love. I don’t deserve you. I’m…evil.”

This was something that Willow could not believe. Tara was what other people would consider a perfect vision of loveliness. She certainly did not appear to be an evil creature. After all, evil creatures generally didn’t look like beautiful naked women. “How? Tara, please. I don’t understand. Saving the lives of others isn’t evil. How are you evil? Please, tell me.”

Turning away once more, Tara crawled to the water, palm outstretched. Willow watched in silence as the blonde dipped a finger into it and began moving her hand in a circular motion, causing ripples to play across the surface.

Tara forced the words out of her mouth, knowing that there was no way they would come on their own. “Willow, you need to understand. I am…” She paused, trying to come up with the right words. “I am a child of the sea. Unlike anything you may have seen before.”

Or perhaps not. Tara turned back to look at Willow, a thought from their earlier conversation coming to the surface. ”You mentioned a mermaid you knew?”

Willow nodded. “Yes. Ariel. But what…”

“You said she had a tail,” Tara interrupted, turning to look at her legs. “We had tails once. But we gave them up when…”

She faltered, her eyes watering. Sliding over, Willow placed her arm on Tara’s side once more, her other moving to Tara’s chin, lifting the blonde’s head until their eyes met. “Please, Tara. I...I want you to feel comfortable enough to tell me anything. I said that there should be no secrets between friends.” She paused, and asked the question that she had, for the past forty eight hours, been silently asking herself.

“Are we friends? Can we be friends?”

”Can we?” Tara thought, her brain working fast to comprehend what it was that she was hearing. Being friends with Willow was something she wanted so much, she knew that even despite their differences, that it wasn’t even a question to consider. The fact that they shared a mutual interest in the ocean which had brought them together only strengthened their bond. Tara’s desire to bridge the gap between her clan and the human race Willow represented also played a factor: she knew she was already stumbling down Lorelei’s path, and so all she could do was to hope for a much happier ending than the one which had crushed that dream.

“Yes.”

Willow smiled briefly, knowing that the first connection had just been made. Now was the time to see if it could be taken further. Moving her hand to Tara’s face, she brushed back several strands of her long golden hair. “And please don’t hide your face from me. I like it. It’s beautiful.

“Even the scales? And my gills?”

“Even the gills. And especially the scales. They make you look…exotic. And unique. And I like having things that are…unique. Things that I can call…mine.”

Tara’s small smile, which she had used to keep Willow’s mind at ease, slowly morphed into one of genuine happiness, before it melted as she remembered what she had to do.

Looking directly into Tara’s eyes, Willow said, “Now tell me what you have to say. I promise that whatever it is, I won’t freak out.”

Tara nodded. Knowing that Willow wanted to hear what she had to say made it somewhat easier for her to say it. Not completely, but enough. “Thank you, Willow. Now, as I said, there was once a time that my clan of mermaids had tails. That was before my time. Before…the Change.”

“The Change?” Willow echoed curiously.

“Yes, Willow” Tara said. “The Change. When our clan underwent a permanent transformation into the type of creatures…into the type of people we are today. We went from being fully aquatic creatures into hybrids of our previous forms and humans.” She passed a hand across her body. “What you see before you…is only half of what we once were. The other half…we changed forever through the use of magic.”

Willow sat with her mouth open. For any race to undergo such a dramatic change…it was unthinkable. And there was also the fact that their change was mystical in nature. It made her curious. “Can you…tell me about your magical talents, Tara?”

Tara hesitated, wondering how much of her society she felt comfortable enough telling Willow. Certainly the fact that she now knew of their kind was bad enough. But her abilities were another story. It didn’t feel right for her to talk about them, even though magic was a vital part of her society with anyone displaying talent training under the elder Mage of the clan. But even before the Change, it was still considered enough of an aberration to the norm that it caused all those who displayed talent to be distrusted, as if they would somehow cause the fall of their society through some mystical blunder despite their training. That feeling had only been strengthened following the Change, as magic had indeed irrevocably altered their society for the worse in the eyes of many. Since that time, magic had remained a vital part of their lives, people like Baji still held very important roles in society and used for communication with sea creatures and healing. But there were those who merely saw this as a way of maintaining the status quo; the Elders obviously taken their xenophobia over the Change a step too far by never outwardly displaying any hint of how much their society had been altered.

Wondering ever so briefly if she was performing such a blunder, Tara continued, “Our clan has some who can…shape the ocean around them. We’re taught from an early age how to use our gifts to better the ocean around us without causing any major alterations. But despite that, there are those in our society who…look down on us. They treat us with scorn, distrust and even outright hatred. This became even worse following the Change, when we used magic to change our society forever.”

Willow was afraid to ask the question that came immediately to her mind after hearing this, but she knew she had to say it. Otherwise she would agonize over it for a long time. And, in any event, it was something she felt she had the right to know.

“Why, Tara? Why would your clan go to such great lengths to change who and what they were?”

Tara hung her head down. This was the most painful part of what she had to say. “It was…because an anomaly was introduced into our society.”

Willow tried to make some sense of this, but it only made her more confused. “Tara, I don’t understand. Why would your race go and do something like that? What could have possibly convinced them that it was a good idea to change who and what they were?”

Tara looked up at Willow, her eyes shining with the tears she somehow managed to keep in check. “Love.”

“Love?” Willow echoed with some surprise. “Tara, I don’t know how it is with your clan, but where I come from, love is something precious and special, and certainly not something to cause anyone to do something incredibly stupid. I mean, yeah, love makes you do the wacky sometimes. And unless it’s dangerous, you wouldn’t even think twice about doing it. But from the look of you, it certainly wasn’t dangerous. I mean, if it could make you look like that…”

Willow realized two things at that moment. She was babbling incoherently as she often did when she was nervous, nearly letting things out that she really should not. But more importantly, her words were making Tara look downtrodden once again. Whether it was from her words or the fact that she had interrupted her, Willow could not tell. At some basic level, however, she realized that it didn’t matter. The blonde held a great deal of pain inside of her, and the conversation was making it slowly seep out as if she had suffered a grievous wound.

Willow hoped she could be a band aid for Tara’s pain. “I’m sorry, Tara. I didn’t mean…”

“No, Willow,” Tara replied, a sad look on her face. “You’re right. Love is something precious and special. And Lorelei must have known this as well. That must have been why she decided to meet that human and…prove her love.”

The pieces fell into place in Willow’s mind at that, the picture they formed not a pretty one to see. “You mean…one of your clan met a human, transformed herself and…” She stopped there, the final phrase of her comment unsaid, yet mutually understood between her and Tara, who nodded her head in answer to Willow’s question.

“When the Elders of the Clan found out, they put both Lorelei and the male to death. But, it was too late. The anomaly had entered our society.”

Willow understood now what Tara meant by anomaly. “You mean a child.”

“Yes.”

“And so, in order to hide the truth of its origins, your clan transformed themselves?”

Tara nodded. “And that’s not all. The incident caused the clan to distrust humans and shun all contact with them. It became a law that any human that violated our territory was to be killed.”

Willow’s eyes shot open, suddenly growing wary for Buffy’s safety. “Am I…did we…Tara, have Buffy and I…violated your territory?”

“No, Willow,” Tara answered. “This cave is close to our borders, but isn’t inside our territory. I chose it as my hiding place so that I could feel safe, yet be able to…”

“What, Tara?”

“Spy on humans.”

Willow’s lips formed a smile. Despite all she appeared to be, Tara was someone curious about the outside world. “So…you’re like a peeping tom?”

“Peeping tom?”

Willow blushed, realizing that Tara had no way of understanding some of the more esoteric human terms. “Someone who watches others from afar while they do things that…” Her brain caught up with her words as she recalled what she had been doing before Tara had rescued her. “You mean you saw me…”

Tara could see how much Willow was getting flustered about that, and swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. Somehow she knew that this would happen if the redhead ever found out. “You’re upset, aren’t you?”

Willow grew puzzled at the question, especially considering how much she found herself wondering that exact same thing. She felt that she certainly had the right to be upset. Or, at the very least, be embarrassed beyond all recognition. Masturbating wasn’t exactly an activity that one did in the presence of others. That was what made doing it in the pool when she was younger such a turn on. The fact that she could have easily gotten caught at any moment excited her. But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t be upset with Tara. After all, the ocean was her home, and she had been the one to intrude without permission. It would be akin to her walking into some stranger’s house, eating all their food and using their bathroom.

“No, Tara,” she said, knowing that her answer was one hundred percent honest, not a single word of it being said in order to make the blonde feel better. “I’m not. It’s just that…I spent the better part of my life reading and fantasizing about stuff like that. I never knew there could be anyone out there who could understand…I mean, truly understand what it’s like to feel the way I do about water. I…I have a sexual attraction to it, and whenever I immerse myself, I feel as if my body is being caressed by the hands of some imaginary lover. I had my first orgasm touching myself at the bottom of a swimming pool. I couldn’t take a shower after gym class because I was afraid of what could happen. I took scuba lessons in order to prolong my fantasies and find new ones. I…I’ve always felt as if water was the only thing that could…you know, make me feel in ways I’ve never felt before.”

“People on the surface do this to feel good?” Tara asked, her curiosity piqued by Willow words.

“Some,” Willow admitted. “People have specific fetishes that turn them on, but that’s one of the rarer ones. It’s not exactly a thriving community, despite what you may see on the internet. And, until recently, it was something I kept to myself. I never told anyone. Not my parents, not even my best friend. And I had no problems with it…at least until I got myself trapped in a cave and nearly died.”

Tara, who had been growing increasingly happier discussing things with Willow, immediately grew wary and retreated into herself at the redhead’s final words. She had forgotten the whole reason that she had started the conversation in the first place. And they had been getting along so well, the beginnings of an emotional bond certainly forming like the links of a chain. But this loose thread popped up once again to shatter her illusions.

She had to do it. She had to say the one thing keeping that chain incomplete. Even if it meant that it would never be fully formed.

“I did it.”

Willow looked at Tara, seeing that she had once again hidden her face behind her hair. “What?”

“I did it. I nearly killed you.”

Willow smiled. Tara certainly was taking this “delicate, house-of-cards Willow” approach a bit too far, in her opinion. “No, Tara. You couldn’t have had anything to do with it. I mean, without you, I would have died. You see, when I went into that cave, I had a piece of rope with me. I tied it to some coral in order to find my way back out. Somehow I managed to lose it. I think the knot must have come loose or something…”

“No.”

Tara said the word with more force and abruptness than she intended, but it did not matter. After what she had to say, there was the very real chance she would never have the chance talk to Willow again. “I followed you. I had to stop you from getting into that cave. It was where…”

“Where Lorelei and her mate…” Willow added when Tara fell silent. “You mean, that cave is…”

“Yes,” Tara confirmed. “The Elders have always said that the cave was cursed. My mother didn’t believe them, and so she went there to prove it. I’m not sure, but I think they might have…”

Tara’s tale was getting sadder by the moment, and Willow moved to hug her. She wrapped her arms around Tara’s waist, resting her head on the blonde’s heaving bosom, feeling her chest rise with every breath she took.

Whatever reaction Tara must have been expecting, clearly this was not it. “Willow?”

“I’m sorry,” Willow whispered.

Tara couldn’t take it. She would not allow her emotions to be played with in this manner. Shrugging off Willow, she retreated to the other side of the rocks. Clearly distressed by this, Willow moved to follow, only to stop short as Tara raised her hands.

“Tara…?”

“I almost killed you, Willow!” Tara shrieked, her tears flowing forth now unchecked. She buried her face into her knees and continued to cry. “I took away the only thing that kept you safe. I untied your safety line. I was curious. Curious about it. Curious about you. And that curiosity almost led to your death. I thought that I was better than the Elders. I thought I was better than my friends. But I’m not. I’m just as cruel and heartless as they are.”

Willow looked down at Tara. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. At the time, she had no idea where the rope had gone. The dream she had the other day had told her, on some unconscious level, that Tara and her near death experience were somehow related. It was a surprise now to hear how right she had been.

And yet…Willow couldn’t bring herself to be upset about it. The redhead had known from the moment she had decided to do what she had done that day that she had given her life into the hands of some unknown deity that could take it away from her as easily as it could give it back unharmed. And although that deity did indeed feel it had the right to take her life, it had apparently not counted on Tara arriving to rescue her.

Willow couldn’t help but feel more connected to the blonde mermaid than she had before, and she had to let her know this. But first she had to comfort her. “No, you’re not.”

Those three words caused Tara to hold back further tears and look up at Willow. Instead of seeing the beautiful red haired angel looking back down at her with hatred and disgust, she instead found her holding back her own tears, a look of genuine pain on her face.

“Tara, I don’t know much about your clan. But from what I can tell, they are nothing more than a bunch of racist bastards. They think they know what’s best for everybody, and do whatever they can in order to maintain their so called perfect vision. But you’re different. If you truly were like them, as you say, you would have left me to die.”

Tara realized the truth in Willow’s words. And it encapsulated what she had thought at the time. Even though she had wanted to go and report the presence of a human so close to their territory, she had instead decided to follow her, ending up saving Willow from what turned out to be a very dangerous situation.

It was true. She was different. And although it was a source of great shame for her for the longest time, at this very moment, she couldn’t be happier about it.

Walking back to Tara’s side, Willow got on her knees and looked the blonde square in the eye. “Tara, from the moment my eyes first caught sight of you, I’ve felt something for you. I think you’ve felt it, too. There’s something between us that I think needs to be explored. And I would really like to do so now. You know…if you’re willing to as well.”

Tara grew ever hopeful, but she still held something back. As Willow’s face approached hers, she kept expecting something to happen that would bring an end to this perfect moment. An earthquake. The return of Willow’s friend. Something. She didn’t know what. All she knew was that this could not be happening.

But as the distance between her and Willow closed, she realized that nothing could ruin the moment. Tara had told Willow the one thing she thought she could never say. And Willow didn’t care. Not only that, but she was prepared to give herself completely to the one person who could truly understand what it felt like to be one with the ocean.

Their lips came together. Tenderly at first, then opening and moving more voraciously. Their tongues probed each others mouths as their hands moved to caress each other’s bodies.

“Wait.”

Willow pulled away from Tara and got to her feet. Tara whimpered as Willow’s touch left her, wondering if she had done something wrong. Her fear faded as she watched Willow reach for the ring attached to her garment and began to lower it.

Tara watched in growing surprise as Willow began, with some degree of difficulty, to remove the clothing from her body. Pulling her arms out of the top as she brought the zipper down, the redhead then wiggled her hips in order to get it down over the lower half of her body. Finally, she sat down, working her legs the rest of the way out, fully exposing her body to the chilled air.

Tara took in the sight of the beautiful naked body she had fallen in love with the moment her eyes first gazed upon it as it was revealed to her once again, in all of its wondrous glory. She knew that, unlike the last time, she was now free to look upon it without concern for the redhead’s well being. And that now, with Willow’s words fresh in her mind, she had the right to touch the other girl without fear.

“There we go,” Willow said, a smile on her face as she placed the clothing down near the rest of her gear. Turning back to Tara, her smile deepened. “Like I said before, Tara, there shouldn’t be anything between us. Not even clothing.”

Tara’s heart thumped against her chest as Willow approached her once again. This time, they would come together without interruption. Without hesitation. It brought a smile to her face. A fusion of the land and the sea. And she knew that there would be no regrets between them about it.

**

From behind the cover offered by the coral outcroppings, the two male mermaids watched as the female human traveled towards the surface. One held a knife carved from a shark bone, dark eyes boring into the female who, unaware of their presence, continued her journey. The pair, like others of their kind, had been patrolling the borders of their territory for days, hearing that there had been an intrusion by humans near their colony. Out of fear of a new human invasion, the Elders had dispatched patrols across their borders.

It appeared that the Elders concerns were valid.

“So it is true,” the merman with the knife said to his companion. “The humans are encroaching on our territory.”

“This cannot be permitted,” the other spoke, blue eyes cold and unfeeling. “We know what we must do.”

The first mermaid brandished his knife, then kicked his legs slowly, swimming away, all the while keeping to the corals for cover. His companion followed silently, the pair waiting for the right moment to make sure that the human never returned to the surface.

[beanie]

DIBS!!

My goodness Ms. Willow is quite the frisky one. And eek!! Buffy

More detailed feedback will come shortly after my break!

-beanie

[Willowtree252]

oh WOW Tara told willow everything and it was alright of course but now the bad is coming right when we were going to have and gay love . bad bad no cliffhangers love the story

[Thianne]

Alex, you are EVIL! even my dog knows, now! how could you?!? you start with the goodness and not only you interrupt it, but you start with the badness! you're trying to kill me!!!

but i loved the update, as always

i'll be patiently waiting for another one. very soon, please

love

[Devi Crystalseeker]

Oh no, Buffy!!

So good to finally get to the , though. Lovely chapter; I'm eagerly waiting for the next one.

[WillowsGirlXX]

Poor poor Buffy

Yay with the Willow/Tara snuggles and smoochies though .

Please please please update very soon.

< sits waits and pouts for next chapter as I love this story.

Rachel