Feedback is golden and it’s read, re-read and treasured – thanks! 
Title: How I Met Your Mother*
Author: Ariel
Email:
blaziak@yahoo.com Feedback: All feedback welcomed, specific input appreciated, harsh on me via PM
Rating: NC-17 for W/T love. Ratings will change depending on content.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to take them for a ride!
Summary: A/U before season 1, the summer after Willow's freshman year with a large dose of Queen Cordelia at her bitchy best and teen-aged angst.
*no connection to the sit-com of the same name
Thoughts are in italics.Part 56: Sweet Surprises They received a few good natured laughs and cat-calls as they left the lake and headed to their cabin, but Willow kept her head up and maintained a fixed grin while Tara walked with her arm around her lover’s waist.
“Why did you wear the bikini, Sweetie?”
Willow was breathless from the fast walk she had led them into, “Never had the nerve ‘til today.” She blushed, then grimaced, “Wore it for you. I thought I was all sexy-girl.”
Tara’s voice was tender, “You were and you are.”
Then Willow smiled back in that heart-stopping way of hers and it was Tara’s turn to feel breathless.
*******************************************
Faith spotted Willow in the dinner line and her face lit up, “Red! C’mere!”
Willow flinched, fearing a variety of flasher jokes, but Faith’s grin was more triumphant than teasing so she took a cautious step closer.
“T, serve for me, wouldja?” Then she tugged Willow into the kitchen. “Got it!”
Willow hesitated, still fearing a joke, “Got what?”
Faith reached into her pocket and fished out a roll of cash, “Your bet money off Queen C!”
Then a dazed Willow held out her hands while Faith counted out four hundred dollars. Faith was exultant, “Got mine too, Red! Spent some already on pants for tomorrow!”
Tara bustled in carrying an empty serving tray and Willow jammed her winnings in her pocket, determined to avoid a discussion with Tara on the evils of gambling.
Tara watched Willow rush by then hurried over to Faith. “Do you h-have it? Willow’s present?”
Faith grinned, “Smuggled it in with the food for the dance.” She bent down and fished out a paper bag from under the sink. “Got Carly’s donuts, Jennilee’s Ho-Ho’s and Harmony’s Ding-Dongs.” She searched the bottom of the bag, “And Willow’s present.” She handed it to Tara with a flourish.
“Faith Lehane!” Mrs. Finch had, as usual, seemed to appear out of nowhere.
Faith’s eyes went wide and she shoved handfuls of contraband inside Tara’s shirt where most of it settled into the space where her work shirt tucked into her jeans.
“There is a line full of hungry campers and staff, please return to your duties at once!”
Faith relaxed. “On it, Mrs. F.!” Then the director left and Faith reached unceremoniously down Tara’s shirt to retrieve her smuggled treats.
“H-hey!”
“Sorry, T.! Just trying to stay out of prison!”
Tara pretended to frown, “Then don’t smuggle.”
Faith leered, “Could say the same, T.”
Tara blushed and reached down her shirt to retrieve her own bit of contraband.
“Tara?” Mrs. Finch had re-entered the kitchen, “A word, please.”
Tara’s hand froze and she hurried out.
“It’s about the private riding lessons. Would you call them a success?”
“Um, yes. Y-yes I would.”
Mrs. Finch looked intently into her flushed face. “Willow, in particular, does she know how to ride?”
Tara’s mind skittered frantically for some kind of answer that wouldn’t consign her to Hell for lying, and raised her head, “I’ve s-seen her ride.”
Mrs. Finch looked skeptical, “Are you sure? It’s important.”
Tara swallowed and nodded.
She rode that night when I led Midnight around for her and when she rode Arrow. Mrs. Finch hadn’t asked how well Willow could ride, so technically Tara felt that she was still telling the truth. Tara lifted her chin, “I’ve seen her ride more than once,” she said confidently.
Mrs. Finch smiled and seemed strangely relieved. “I’m delighted to hear that.” She moved away and Tara walked dazedly over to their table.
*******************************************
The children had been particularly irrepressible, still in high spirits from their celebration as well as anticipating the dance.
Willow and Tara were asked dozens of questions about the festivities and they could only shrug; it was their first year and they didn’t know what to expect either.
Finally bodies were washed, teeth scrubbed, and night clothes on. The girls had been tucked in and Willow and Tara were finally alone together in the privacy of their room.
Willow glanced sideways at Tara on the bed, as she pushed their one chair under the door-knob and tested to see that it held.
Then Tara walked slowly over to open the drawer and then shut off the lamp. Willow heard the sudden scrape and flare of a match, a nimbus of illumination against the encroaching darkness, until the dancing glow of candle light filled the room and pushed the darkness back far enough to be romantic rather than frightening. An instant later Tara blew out the match and walked back over, moving with a slow sensuality that caused Willow’s breath to catch in her throat. Then she waited silently, knowing somehow that speech would break her lover’s magic and saw Tara sit on their bed then lean against the wall. Willow lay down on her back, her gaze still on Tara. The air seemed to thicken between them, resonating with the low hum of their mutual longing.
When Tara finally spoke, her voice was a husky whisper “I h-have a present for you.” She glanced down shyly and reached between her breasts to pull out a chocolate bar that she had concealed during dinner. Tara’s face was suddenly dismayed, “Willow, I’m sorry! It, it must have m-melted during dinner and I couldn’t take it out in front of the kids because I w-wanted it just for you.” She smiled anxiously, “It’s a Cadbury Carmello bar. I was going to feed it to you.” She blushed, avoiding Willow’s eyes, “H-happy Anniversary. It’s a day early but I didn’t know how tomorrow would work out.” She dropped her eyes, “I’m r-really sorry it melted.”
Willow pulled Tara into a hug then smiled. “Well I’m not, doofus. I like chocolate, melt-y or unmelt-y.” She licked her lips, “But I still want you to feed it to me.” Then she opened her mouth like a baby bird, confident of being fed.
Tara peeled the wrapper, hesitant at first to dip her finger into the soft chocolate then she scooped a dollop of chocolate and put her finger in Willow’s mouth.
Willow’s moan was scarcely above a whisper as she began slowly licking chocolate from Tara’s finger and it was Tara’s turn to gasp with pleasure. Their eyes met, locked, and they knew exactly what they wanted. Dreamily, Willow scooped chocolate onto her finger and fed it to Tara, getting love licks in her turn and tiny nips on the sensitive pads of her fingers. Then Tara painted Willow’s mouth with chocolate and bent down for a long, slow ravishing of Willow’s tongue and lips.
Then Willow sat up, scooped more chocolate and swirled it over the pulse point on Tara’s neck, then bent her teeth to the task of nibbling the treat in front of her while Tara’s breathing intensified into a low throbbing exhalation like a big cat’s purr.
Willow felt herself heating up, loving the new sound as she painted Tara’s nipples and bent her neck to the task of cleaning the smooth chocolate, feeling the sweet press of each nipple against her tongue as she pulled it in deeper to graze with her teeth. Then Tara was trembling, pushing herself even deeper into Willow’s mouth while her fingers wove themselves into Willow’s hair.
Then Willow finished, laying kisses in the moist warmth of Tara’s cleavage and finally rocked back slowly on her heels and waited for Tara.
Tara smiled her lopsided smile, somehow both shy and sensuous. She gestured for Willow to lie down on her stomach then she pushed Willow’s pajama bottoms up to mid-thigh. She drizzled a chocolate trail up Willow’s calves, using the edge of her fingernail and drew a sunburst on the back of each knee, before continuing the trail half way up Willow’s thigh. Then her tongue tip was a honeyed feather as it traced its way up the sweet path, nibbling and sucking the sensitive skin behind Willow’s knees until she felt Willow tense and shudder beneath her. Then licking began again up to the softness of Willow’s thighs and Willow whimpered, feeling the warm swell of her sex and knowing that there could be no relief.
Then Willow moved off the bed and indicated that Tara was to sit on the edge. Willow took the chocolate wrapper in her hand then broke the moment to grin and snatch her pillow off their bed to put under her knees. Another moment passed then she met her lover’s eyes, intensely blue, heavy lidded with arousal. Willow swallowed then spread Tara’s legs apart and imitated her lover’s use of the edge of a fingernail to paint the inside of her lover’s thighs. Willow leaned in closely and her warm panting breaths seeming to pulse against Tara’s thighs. She painted symbols and letters, hieroglyphs of her desire to make a pure offering and please her lover. Then she bent to the curved ivory of Tara’s thighs and began the work of tongue and teeth and lips, feeling the fevered limbs trembling between her teeth. She thrust her nose against Tara’s track shorts seeing the muscles clench while she smelt the hot flow of warm musk which sent a fever singing through her veins. She plucked at the edge of Tara’s track shorts, moving it aside so she could look at the warm folds, rosy with desire. She could reach them, she knew she could. Taste the nectar covered flesh, glide her tongue into Tara’s secret place, suck the slick rosebud into her mouth to tongue and kiss.
Then Tara’s hands were in her hair, weak at first and neutral as to intent, but as Willow leaned forward they resisted. Willow looked up and their eyes met again, both aroused but Tara’s alight with anguish.
Willow pulled back and joined her lover in bed. Their kisses were a wet fire, unstoppable. They kissed every inch of available skin, turning their bodies into a love knot of frustrated desire.
Then finally they subsided, defeated by their own promise, with only tenderness between them.
They put on their clothes slowly, candlelight enchantment making their heated flesh glow golden.
“Baby,” Willow sighed.
“Willowhand,” Tara breathed back.
Their kiss became a shared breath, finally a yawn, and then they slept, still entwined in each other’s arms.
*******************************************
Tara awakened in the darkness to hear the soft sound of Willow’s breathing, and sighed with contentment as Willow burrowed her cheek further into the softness of her shoulder. Tara smiled, as she brushed a stray lock of hair back behind Willow’s ear. Then she felt Willow’s arm curve sleepily across her belly, and she enfolded Willow into another embrace.
Sometimes they slept on their sides in a tangle of legs and slept breast to breast in a full body embrace. Other times they ‘spooned’ in their sleep, one laying on her side with an arm around the waist of the other whose back snuggled into the other’s front and they decided who would be ‘big spoon’ in the back or ‘little spoon’ in the front.
Tara drew another deep breath and marveled, yet again, at how easy it was to sleep with Willow; how right they were in each other’s arms.
*******************************************
Tara was dreaming, hearing her mother’s voice
”She pricked her finger and three drops of her blood fell upon the white snow.” Tara’s eyes shot open and she gasped, staring at the three crimson shapes on her pillowcase.
“Tara?” She recognized Willow’s voice. “Happy three week anniversary, baby!”
Then she shook her head, as if to shed her dream and shuddered involuntarily at the flowers, bright as blood against the whiteness of her pillowcase. Then Tara felt her consciousness returning and she smelled their scent at last. Then she shook her head, as if to shed the final fragments of her dream.
Three flowers; and when she brings the fourth, she’ll leave me. She inhaled sharply then raised her eyes to Willow’s, “They’re beautiful, Sweetie.”
Willow smiled happily, “I’m glad I got to surprise you! I was all with the ‘tippy-tippy-toe’ walking back in here.”
Tara grinned at hearing Willow use one of Mouse’s expressions. Then she hugged Willow hard and the strangeness of her dream receded.
*******************************************
Devola glared, “I don’t know why we have to dance with a bunch of stupid boys!”
Connie stared at her, “Boys aren’t stupid!”
Devola stared back at her, too disgusted to speak.
Lisa shrugged, “They’re okay. Some of them are, anyway.”
Debbie smiled, “Are they cute?”
Tara fought a smile, “Um, we h-haven’t had a chance to check them out.”
Kate looked at Willow, “Is your boyfriend coming?”
Willow blushed, “Xander is back at home.”
Towanda looked confused, but Connie grinned with excitement and pointed at her counselor’s face, “Wil-low is blushing! Wil-low is blushing!”
Tara ducked her head, feeling a strange urge to cry, then felt Bettina’s small hand curl around her fingers. “I got a present for you, Tara. I made it all by myself!” Tara looked at Bettina, at the brown eyes staring up at her adoringly, and was touched enough to offer a smile.
“I’d l-love to see it.”
“Now? Can I show you now?”
Tara nodded and Bettina jumped up eagerly, “Go out on the porch and I’ll be right there!”
Tara got up, avoiding the sight of Willow being questioned about her boyfriend, and hurried out to the porch.
Bettina came panting up, flushed with excitement and carrying a crayon drawing of two stick figures holding hands, one with yellow hair and the other with black hair. Since the yellow-haired one was nearly twice as tall, Tara knew that the drawing represented her and Bettina. Then she noticed the words printed in the space above the figures,
“Roses are red
Vilits are blue.
I love you.
xox Bettina A.”
Tara smiled.
“Do you like it?” Bettina asked anxiously.
Tara hugged the little girl close, “I love it. Thank you so much.”
Bettina was wiggling like a puppy, “I wrote it all myself, but it’s partly from some candy my Daddy gave my Mommy, the poem part. But I printed it, see!” Then Bettina pointed proudly to the letters that she had worked so hard over.
“You did a w-wonderful job and your writing is so good!”
Bettina hugged her again. “I’m glad you liked it! Devola said it was dumb but she doesn’t know how it is when you love someone.” Then Bettina took a deep breath, “Can I kiss you now?”
“W-what?”
Bettina felt her courage ebbing at Tara’s obvious surprise and re-thought her request. “On the cheek! Just on the cheek! Like you’ve done before, I promise!”
Tara looked at the earnest little girl who was blinking quickly, as if preparing for tears, and kindly leaned over to offer her cheek while Bettina stood on her tip-toes and puckered her lips.
“Tara!” Tara turned her head towards Carly at the very moment that Bettina leaned in to kiss her cheek, accidentally landing the kiss squarely on Tara’s lips.
Tara gasped with embarrassment while Bettina’s eyes went wide and her face turned red.
“Tara,” Carly said again, “Counselors’ meeting!”
Tara turned, delighted to race inside, while a dazed Bettina leaned back to swoon against a support post, a blissful smile on her little face.
*******************************************
Mrs. Finch eyed Tara and Carly’s late entrance with disapproval, then continued. “So the afternoon camp activities are cancelled so that we can get everything set up. Carly, I’ll rely on you to handle the sound system and your father will be playing for the square dances, I believe.”
Carly grinned, “Dad’s looking forward to it.”
Mrs. Finch looked closely for further traces of sarcasm, but Carly just blinked innocently at her and Mrs. Finch continued. “Fine! So our guests will arrive at approximately 6:30 or so and we’ll start out in the main yard with an hour of square dancing for everyone.”
Cordelia looked horror-struck and she wasn’t the only one, “’An hour’!”
Carly frowned, “We’ve only done about three dances in all the years before! Why an hour?”
Mrs. Finch smiled tightly, “The children seemed to enjoy it and the new camp director over there is quite an aficionado. He has generously offered to do a little demonstration and call the dances for us.”
Cordelia glowered, “Does he yodel and call hogs, too?”
Mrs. Finch glared in her direction then glared around the circle for good measure and the mutterings subsided. Then she smiled, “So, Lawanna why don’t you plan to watch the barn for the night of the dance.”
Carly looked desperate, “Lawanna, you can let me cover it if you don’t want to miss—“
Lawanna grinned, “Forget it, Carly! Save a ‘do-si-do’ or two for me.” Then she shook her head, “Actually, please don’t!” Then Carly responded with a good-natured groan and Mrs. Finch continued.
“So following the square dance, the counselors will continue in one half of the dining hall and the eleven and twelve year olds in the other half while the younger children are supervised outside to watch movies and play games.” She sharpened her glance, “Let me stress, again, the necessity of avoiding I.T.E.’s”
Jennilee smiled, her sense of humor getting the best of her, “And what is an I.T.E again, Ma’am?”
“Inappropriate Touching Experience,” Mrs. Finch intoned solemnly.
Jennilee nodded, barely managing to conceal a smile. “Thank you.”
Faith couldn’t resist, “Got an ‘itty’ on my titty!”
A few of the girls were shocked while the rest clamped their jaws shut to stifle their laughter.
Mrs. Finch gestured to the red-faced counselors, “Faith, you’ve embarrassed these poor girls. Shame on you!”
Faith attempted a show of contrition since she actually wanted to dance. “Sorry, Mrs. F.”
“Wait!” Cordelia spoke up, “That total skank gets to go, too?”
Mrs. Finch said stiffly, “If Faith finishes her work then she is allowed to attend the dance.”
Faith sighed, “Cinderella deal. Bust my butt. Dance for ten minutes.”
Tara brightened, “L-let me sit out and w-work in your place! Then you can dance the whole time!”
Cordelia smirked, “We just
couldn’t let you make that kind of sacrifice, Tara! After all, you’re going to be ‘The Belle of the Ball’ and
everyone is just dying to see you in your dress!”
Tara ducked her head and Jennilee spoke, her soft drawl kind, “Tara, how about we get together for some girl time and I do your hair and make-up for you?”
Tara looked over at her, touched by the older girl’s gesture. “I-I’d l-like that, thanks.”
“And that’s all you’ll need to look good!” Cordelia grinned mockingly, “Delusional, much?”
Jennilee smiled, “You’ll see.”
Carly looked at Jennilee. “Okay, let’s make a deal. No more than three guys hanging around you at one time. If a fourth one comes over, then you have to cut one loose for us.”
Jennilee shrugged, “I’ll do my best.”
Cordelia’s eyes narrowed, “Why would they be interested in her?” Cordelia glanced at Jennilee’s breasts, “Unless they’re dairy farmers or something!”
Carly held up her hands, “Don’t make her mad, Cordelia, you’ll be sorry if you do. She’s like some kind of boy-Hoover, just sucks ‘em all her way!”
Cordelia fluffed her dark hair confidently and stared at Jennilee. “Please. You’ll have some real competition now!”
Jennilee smiled and dismissed her, “’Competition’? Honey, I don’t even play in the same ball-park.”
Carly was exasperated, “They why do you flirt so much and grab all the guys?”
Jennilee shrugged good-naturedly, “Flirting is fun and a girl has a right to have a little fun, doesn’t she?” Then she smiled at Carly who shook her head and smiled back in spite of herself. It was hard to stay mad at Jennilee.
A moment later, Mrs. Finch dismissed the meeting and Willow headed for Tara’s side until Mrs. Finch called her over and asked her to print a variety of signs and notices for the dance.
Tara walked out by herself and was grateful to be too busy to do much more than ride.
*******************************************
After an early dinner, Tara and Willow took turns at having a shower then combined forces in attempting to get their girls into a state of acceptable hygiene. The ones who were excited and wanted to dress up were Connie, Debbie, and Kate. Lisa was willing, but not too particular about clothes while Towanda, Bettina and Veronica chose comfortable clothes that they liked wearing. Devola wasn’t sure what to do and felt more nervous than she wanted to admit while Mouse seemed to think it was a costume party and mourned leaving her “princess dress” back at home.
There was a knock outside the window and Lulu Ballard called in to tell Willow that her dress was ready and to come to Cordelia’s cabin. Willow left while Tara looked sadly after her.
Meanwhile Debbie admired Connie’s make-up bag and the fact that Connie could put on lipstick without making a clown mouth.
Connie accepted her friend’s admiration. “I do ballet,” she explained, “So my mom taught me how to do my make up for the recitals and stuff.” Then she pressed her lips against a piece of toilet paper and yelped as Devola snatched the lipstick. “Devola! You’re such a pain!”
But Devola was too busy drawing a series of red lines diagonally on her cheeks to notice. Then she jostled her way to Connie’s mirror and grinned delightedly. “I’m on the warpath!” She bared her teeth, smiled once more and knew that she’d have fun now. “You know, Connie” she said seriously, “I like make-up!”
*******************************************
“Willow!” Cordelia beckoned impatiently from her cabin’s porch, “In here!”
Willow walked timidly up the steps, then paused to take a final breath of free air before entering Cordy-World.
Cordelia gestured wordlessly to Harmony who walked closer, holding the dress up high so that it seemed to float in the air, bearing down on Willow who stood paralyzed.
Willow’s face blanched and her green eyes seemed to get bigger with every step closer that the dress came. She swallowed, gasped and her lips moved soundlessly while she tried to find the breath to speak.
Cordelia smirked, “What do you think?”
Willow’s jaw had dropped so far that she felt it pop back into place as she closed her mouth then opened it again to speak, “Unbelievable!” Clearly stunned, she forced her eyes away from the dress to look at Cordelia, “It’s beautiful!”
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you've got to love Mouse's innocence as she doesn't get 'hair down there' yet.
and once again provided by the youngest in the group, I say GO MOUSE.
Very exciting!
HAIL DIBS-MASTER! 
so I didn’t quote them but they landed right in my heart and that counts! 
)
Heyyyy, Kittens! Anybody got a spare elephant tranq gun I can borrow? 
Okay, I almost never quote icons but yours were just too funny – thanks! 
For me, the biggest challenge is taking their grown up banter and trying to take it back in time. Glad it works for you! *sigh of relief!*
How come a downgrading from you is like a hug and a glass of champagne! 
But of course, for me, any party where I have to wear a dress is a nightmare! Can't wait to see how it all turns out!
the scene with the chocolate was great!