Tara and I Love You

[The Rose]

Has anyone noticed Tara has not came straight
out and told Willow she loves her?

Willow does not actually SAY it until "The Body." Tara does not say it back, but the way she looks at Willow and takes her hands says it all. Willow says it again in "Tough Love," but Tara can not say it back due to her
circumstances. Yet again, Tara's eyes tell the truth.

Do any of you think she is afraid to say it?

[This message has been edited by The Rose (edited June 25, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by The Rose (edited June 25, 2001).]

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[Unregistered(d)]

I don't think she's afraid, and in my head, she's said it many times to Willow in their private moments.

But Tara does other things that show her love, her fear in 'Family' for instance, she lied to protect herself so that she could stay with Willow. In fact, the whole dance scene in that ep. was pretty much Tara saying she loves Willow.

Can't think of any other instances right now.

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"Tara had never felt as good about herself in her life. Willow gave her that gift. And another gift. Tara couldn't quite bring herself to call it love. Not yet. But there was time." ~ Unseen: The Burning

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[Unregistered(d)]

Good topic.

Personaly I think she doesn't have a problem; the writers have never needed to put it into word sas it was so obvious. i expect they've siad it to each other off screen...

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"Liberate tutemet ex inferis"

"I am you know... yours"

"I think i'm kinda gay"

"In all my travels throughout the universe I have battled against evil; against power mad conspirators. Ha, I should have stayed here;the oldest civilisation, decadent, degenerate and rotten to the core! Hah! Power mad conspirators, daleks, sontarans, Cybermen... They're still in the nursery compared to us. Ten million years of absolute power; that's what it takes to be really corrupt!"

I

[Unregistered(d)]

No she is not afraid to say it. She may have her insecurities or doubts, but loving Willow is not one of them. I am sure she has said it many times in private. We simply have not been shown that, as we have not been shown many other things they do in private.

However, what we *have* been shown can leave no doubt as to the complete and unconditional love they have for each other.

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Amber Benson has really nice hair and I want her shampoo.

[This message has been edited by Dr.G (edited June 25, 2001).]

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[Unregistered(d)]

Tara has told Willow in private, I think that one is a given and lets face it you only have to see the way Tara looks at Willow to know that she adores her, and she does look at Willow, a lot!

As for her not saying it on screen I suspect the writers are just being evil yet again, and saving it up for some really angsty moment before Tara actually says it out loud for we mere mortals to hear, gotta love Joss (not!)

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I am in thunderous agreement, oh glittering, glistening Glorificus! : Jinx in Tough Love

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[Unregistered(d)]

I have no doubt that Tara has told Willow she loves her a million times in private (same for Willow) but it is one of my wishes for the next season...that W/T tell each other "I love you", hopefully more than once

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[Unregistered(d)]

hey, not to sound all negative, cuz i love em', but.... i'm not so sure tara has said it. i mean, i feel, (know), that she does, but i dont think she has actually said she loves will. i also think will knows it. however, i also thought there was something going on bec/ i couldnt think of a time when tara has used willows name. so i might not have any credit to my name on such topics....
theres my opinion anyway

I

[Unregistered(d)]

Well, I think you may find yourself in a minority here. I can assure you that Tara has utterred Willow's name many times, Even when she was brainsucked.
Besides that every look and touch conveys the love they share. It would be *extremely* unlikely if she has not already said it out loud. But that's just my opinion.

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Amber Benson has really nice hair and I want her shampoo.

I

[Unregistered(d)]

I didn't think it might be an issue until the book "Unseen" when it mentioned that Tara wasn't ready to call it love yet (I'm assuming she means for herself). Of course, a lot of time has passed since then, but I did find it odd that we've only heard Willow say it. They are so deliberate on that show, that it made me wonder if there was a reason (Tara's insecurities). I have no doubt though that Tara loves Willow in her heart.

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umm, *i am you know... yours*... isn't that an i love you is a jossonian way?

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[Unregistered(d)]

Rane,
That line should be the answer for anyone who
has doubts. If you notice, Willow does not
say anything here. She just smiles at her. I
would love to know what happens after this scene though. Do not forget to mention the way Tara stares at Willow and her body after she goes to get drinks and the way Faith notices the look in Tara's eyes.

Naturegal,
The books are not always accurate. I have read just about every Buffy novel out, and there are definitely some discrepancies.

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I

[Unregistered(d)]

I would like to see them say 'I love you' in a way that indicates they've already said it. In a similar way to the method that most people wanted to see the kiss.

With the kiss, it was as though it had happened before; therefore was natural and without the whole first kiss label on it.

I'd like to see Tara say something along the lines of "Honey, you know I love you but..." or something like that.

I'm convinced they've already said it. That Tara's already said it. So no need for big drama.

Edited to add:

quote:

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Originally posted by Glory-p3-mrs:
i couldnt think of a time when tara has used willows name.

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I think you'll notice, if you watch Tough Love again, that Willow's name was the only one that Tara said. In all the confusion she felt, the one person she recognised was Willow. Their love appears in so many ways; it's clear to me that they have a totally romantic relationship in the classic sense (as well as in a real sense), where proclamations and 'I love you's' aren't necessary, because it shines out of them all of the time.

"Tara had never felt as good about herself in her life. Willow gave her that gift. And another gift. Tara couldn't quite bring herself to call it love. Not yet. But there was time." ~ Unseen: The Burning

[This message has been edited by tommo (edited June 25, 2001).]

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mm.. I never noticed that. Maybe Tara will say it more now though after the "being lost" incident and now being her normal self because of Willow saving the day.

I

[Unregistered(d)]

Rane beat me to it. I think "I am you know... yours" is deeper than an I love you in some ways. I am sure Tara has said it privately. Though I would like to hear her say it.

Tara has said Willow's name many times. In fact, the first time I recall is The in Team when Willow comes back to Tara apologizing for ditching her and going out to hang with the scoobies. Tara opens the door and says, "willow."

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[Unregistered(d)]

Sorry a little off topic, but does anyone really love it when Tara says Willow its sounds so, i dont know.....cute

I

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I know. When she says it in TIIT, it's all out of breath and sexy. Yikes!

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*covers face with hands*

Okay. Still having so much trouble with that acronym, but . . .

Oh, what I'd do to have that big grin and sexy voice saying my name on the other side of a door when I knock . . .

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[Unregistered(d)]

All together now *SIGH*

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[Unregistered(d)]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rane:
umm, *i am you know... yours*... isn't that an i love you is a jossonian way?

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The "I am you know...yours" line is what I had to think of too when reading the beginning of this thread. Tara doesnt have to say "I love you" to Willow because she has said it all with this one line when they werent even a couple yet. I think that we from then on were all completely convinced that Tara actually loves Willow. By doing this, Tara has shown a lot of courage.

Nevertheless, I think she has said it to Willow many times. Maybe the writers felt the need to show Willow saying it because they wanted to convince all the viewers who still doubted her feelings for Tara. What strikes me though is that although Willow has said it in "The Body", the fight in "Tough Love" shows that Tara still has doubts.

Oh, I almost forgot: *SIGH*!!!

[This message has been edited by ellenfan (edited June 26, 2001).]

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Tara is more of an actions gal rather than a words one, don'tya think? Willow is the vocab chick of the duo. It's starting to change, but it's a residue of Tara's shyness i think. It's hard to go from a no body to someones everything quickly you know? Am i making any sense? Probably not, but hey! And you don't need to hear Tara tell Willow that she loves her, it's so obvious! Pretty much up there with shovel-in-face for sheer blantentness i think! You just gotta focus on W/T and their moments together, look at the way Tara looks at Will when she doesn't think that she is looking, and the way that Tara was the strong one in 'The Body'. Even before that, her love was obvious. "I am you know." "What?" "Yours." See? Feel the love!

I

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What can you say? They are just so darn cute!!!!!!!!!

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ok... i think tara probably *has* said "i love you" because i don't think the relationship would be as strong if she hadn't. i mean, i know the words don't mean everything... but i do think that actually voicing how you feel adds a lot of strength to a relationship... and willow and tara's relationship is very strong - look how they survived the whole "tara's insane!" thing! that was amazing.

i do think i know why they haven't said it on screen though. and it's super simple, really (doesn't rule out me being wrong though) and someone else may have said this... i may not have been reading the other replies closely enough.

but joss held out on the kiss for so long because he didn't want it to be seen as a plot device. he wanted it to be natural, something that *had* to happen, rather than just for the ratings. and he succeeded.

so i think that willow and tara haven't had the whole "i love u!" "i love you too!" big scene because it hasn't been necessary, and joss doesn't want people to think that he's just cashing in on the lesbian love thing.

maybe i'm wrong... but i think that this hugely important expression of their love for each other will be handled as beautifully as the kiss was - as and when joss thinks it's time.

I

[Unregistered(d)]

In mind I have no doubt that Tara has said the magic words to her in private. Tara's love for Willow is evident all around, I have seen it in the way she looks at Willow. (Just watch them in The Body)

Their relationship is just so beautiful, I love them so much. Yes I would love to hear Tara whisper those words to Willow on screen. I am however content that off screen Tara has said to Willow that she loves her.

I know I'm just a old romantic, but I'm happy. Those two are just so perfect together.

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Amber Fan
Willow "Thats fine I don't need to be snuggled"
Tara "Vixen"

I

[Unregistered(d)]

I think it's much more romantic, not to mention better writing and better television entertainment, to say something that's not "I love you" that still means I love you, i.e. the "I am you know....yours." To me, that's such a better line than a simple I love you because it says so much more and is so much more original and therefore so much more meaningful. Anyone can say "I love you," but it takes something else, some deeper emotions or something like that, so say, in the beginnings of a relationship that may not even be spoken of, "I am you know...yours."

I

[Unregistered(d)]

In NMR, Tara says "You have to be with the person you love" and Willow responds "I am" I'd guess that was the first time they'd used the "L" word to each other, and was essentially Willow saying "I love you" to Tara. I doubt the relationship would have gone on for a whole year without Tara, at some point, returning that "I love you"

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Tracy

Hear that Baby? You're my always.

I

[Unregistered(d)]

ahh!! nobody hurt me...please.... i'm going to have to go into defensive mode here, i dont think i said everything exactly right. i meant that much earlier, before "the i in team" and "tough love", (i'm thinking up until 'willowhand'), i hadn't noticed tara say willow's name. not now, no way! i just thought joss wanted to show that she didnt want to be overly forward, even though that'd be um, underforward (??), with her new relationship. i still think thats a possibility and that she now says it because tara is perfectly comfortable in willow's love for her. and now (as i cover my face with my arms and prepare for fierce verbal blows) i'm sticking by my proclamation of not thinking tara has actually said 'i love you'. i think she has said, and shown, that she loves will, i.e. 'i am, you know....yours'. i think this is a very
tara-ish way to say she loves will. its very plausible that i don't think she has said it because i believe one major reason would be because tara is shy, and...well, i like tara shy. i think its horribly endearing. i have no doubt or shadow of one that willow knows that tara loves her and that tara has said so in her own way and shows it every time she even looks at will. another reason (goodness! school has been out for exactly 24 hours- or will have been in 2 minutes- and i'm writing an essay!!!) IMO that tara might not say it is her family. do we really know if tara was close with her mom, or is that just a guess based on the demon myth and her death? anyway, i can work it both ways. maybe tara has never had anybody other than willow love her, let alone say it. or if she was close to her mom, then: since her mother's death. maybe because of her royally messed up childhood, tara doesn't do loving well. and also if her mom was on her side and loved her, then maybe tara thinks that if she admitts she loves willow, out loud, then she will die like her mom did. like jinxing her (willow) or something. i guess i'm trying to say that tara could think that because she loves willow, some evil thing in the universe would take her away. an 'everyone i love dies' idea. i think i'm done now. feel free to pounce now.

i do love them, you all know that right? i mean i wouldn't be here if i didn't. i'm just a noncomformist. i wouldn't rule out the possibility that somewhere in my subconcious i'm just doing this to follow the pattern of running against the current that is me! my mind works in weird ways- when its working at all, that is.

[This message has been edited by Glory-p3-mrs (edited June 27, 2001).]

and edited again because i can't type, spell, or communicate my thoughts clearly.

[This message has been edited by Glory-p3-mrs (edited June 27, 2001).]

I

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Now I finally get what that acronym TIIT means...

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Someone was stuttering while typing i-it.

I

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Glory, I am still not understanding your point. The I in Team was the 3rd episode Tara was ever in, during season 4. Season 5 just ended. So never has Tara not said Willow's name. And don't worry no one questions your love

[This message has been edited by xita (edited June 27, 2001).]

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[Unregistered(d)]

Glory, seems to me that you're saying Tara has a fear of the actual words, "I love you." That if she says them, then Willow will be somehow taken away from her.

What we're saying, however, is that Tara has probably already said this to Willow. Just because it's not been onscreen yet doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I mean, we're all pretty much sure that Willow and Tara have had sex, but again, just because we've never seen it doesn't mean they haven't.

It's an interesting point you raise about Tara, however, that she somehow has a fear of people she loves being taken away from her. In retrospect, I suppose that her shyness and reticence in her personal life might have indicated that.

But now, I'm sure that Tara knows Willow won't be going anywhere soon, not even back to Boystown, heh heh. And I get the feeling that after the events of Tough Love and The Gift, Tara pretty much knows that nothing can keep them apart.

Besides, in New Moon Rising, Willow chose Tara didn't she? Not Oz, not life without Tara, but Tara. And she keeps on choosing her, loving her, protecting her, fighting for her. That speaks volumes to me.

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"Tara had never felt as good about herself in her life. Willow gave her that gift. And another gift. Tara couldn't quite bring herself to call it love. Not yet. But there was time." ~ Unseen: The Burning

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