New Fic - Neverland

[Sassette]

Just to get it out of the way before my really overly-long feedback: I certainly don't mind the shout-out. I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as a fic author who minds a shout-out.

Holy shit! Holy ... freakin' ... shit!

I feel I need to address Willow directly for a moment:

Fog-gazing, shared sleeping bag and warm drinks!? Dude, Willow ... why don't you just put on "Better than Chocolate" and then ask her if she wants a massage? Because if you're going to derail your own plan, why not really go for it?

Okay, done. Glad I got that off my chest.

So, I was driving along, minding my own business the other day, and I was thinking about this fic, and this update really reminded me of what I was thinking at that time: this fic reminds me of the greatest love triangle in the history of the love triangle - which is, imo, Lois Lane-Clark Kent-Superman.

Here, we have Tara-Gay!Willow-Straight!Willow. And, like Clark Kent is in love with Lois Lane, and Lois Lane is in love with Superman, and Lois Lane doesn't know that Clark Kent and Superman are the same person, we have Gay!Willow in love with Tara, and Tara in love with Straight!Willow and Tara doesn't know that Straight!Willow really >is< Gay!Willow.

And the reason I feel the need to compare the two is that, no matter how many times the LL-CK-S love-triangle plays out in TV, movies, whatever, and no matter the fact that in the canon comic books LL and CK are married and LL knows everything - there I am, at the edge of my seat going, "Just tell her you're Superman! Just ... take off the glasses and ... but! Nooooooo!!!!! Tell ... *wordless spluttering* Her!!! Dammit, Lois ... just ... it's only glasses ... can't you see that he's ... *wordless spluttering* Gah!" (and thank you, btw, for having Tara realize without being told that Straight!Willow is really Gay!Willow in a flimsy disguise - I'd be yelling in my head at Tara for being dumb and oblivious if you hadn't and, as you have correctly characterized, she's not dumb - she's just so terrified about how awful the consequences will be if she's wrong, which is totally different, if that makes any sense).

That's what this fic does to me.

And as W/T get closer and closer, it's not so much a "Will they or won't they" because, umm ... of course they will, but ... ">when< will they?" What I love about this is that the things that are stopping them are just so understandable. I know I pretty much said that already, but it bears repeating. Willow has good intentions in wanting to come out to her mother and Buffy first ... she doesn't want Tara to go through being with someone closeted again, because she's so very in love with Tara. And Tara's so very in love with Willow that she doesn't want to push Willow out of the closet before she's ready (and, god, Tara actually considering a closeted relationship after everything she's been through broke my heart a little, but really rings true for the character).

At the same time, their good intentions have led them to sexual frustration hell. And >something< has got to break - this fic is fascinating to me, because I'm on tenterhooks waiting to see what's going to break first. They're just so passionate about each other, on all levels from carnal to schmoopy, that it's totally dicey as to whether or not they can resist each other until the after the coming-out thing. And, honestly? I have no idea which I'd prefer.

On a replies-to-replies-to-replies note: I totally agree that Willow has her impetuous side. I generally think of Willow as operating in three basic modes: #1) come up with a plan and implement the plan, #2) full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes #3) total paralysis due to internal-whirlwind-mental-tizzy. She's awesome in any of her basic modes, but watching her shift from mode to mode is fascinating (there's that word again - Neverland is officially fascinating). In Neverland, she started out in #3 (unable to interact with Tara on any level due to "Gay And In Love With Tara" internal-whirlwind-mental-tizzy) until Xander talked her down to #1 ("Operation: Be Tara's Friend" to continue until "Operation: 3-Stage Coming Out Plan" is complete, at which time "Operation: Gay With Tara" begins) and then her love for Tara and her inkling that Tara might already be into her pushed her to #2 (Must Date Tara Now). Oh, damn - now I can't help it - I have to go all Newton's First Law on you: Willow in a mode will remain in a mode unless acted upon by an outside force.

I will just close with this, before I write you five pages of feedback (not that you'd mind, but you have officially made me want to go write some W/T, like ... now): this fic is just entirely captivating and fills me with the giggly bubbly joy I experienced when having my "Omigod! They are so gay and into each other" revelations during S4 of Buffy - I really love it.

-Sass

[Kajun]

Heather, Yes, I listened to the songs you posted, thanks. And.. the video of SF fog is really stunning and mesmerizing. How do you find these things?

So.. reading this “date” update was like having micro moments of hyperventilation --holding my breath one minute and laughing the next. Except for the dirty secret part, that is. Willow would be devastated if she knew Tara felt like that. Good for Tara, dispensing of that thought quickly and focusing on the evening ahead. You are such a tease with these little references to that day in the park. Grr, yet.. awesome. That waitress must be kin to Buffy! Was that going to be a sudden leap out of the closet door? Loved the burst of “Nope!” from Willow and the babblefest afterwards. Funny stuff! I’m wondering if, when Tara hears the last song, and contemplates the title Willow gave the CD and every other clue in the world being tossed her way.. it will , finally, seal the deal on what she suspects is going on with the redhead. I know.. Willow's gotta SAY it. Okay, just tell me what the song is.. NOW! I’m not as patient as everyone else! Just kidding –sorta I’m so happy about all the future togetherness planning and OMG.. Willow asks to continue the date by fog-gazing on the roof?? I dig this brave Willow. Does she even realize Tara’s spark of creativity is, once again, because of her? It would be pretty awesome to know you are the inspiration for the person you love creating beautiful pieces of art. Okay, thoughts in my head may not be translating very well but you get it.. I hope. Anyhoo.. I was in much need of some happy W/T goodness and abracadabra.. you post this wonderful, heart melting, completely awesome update. Thanks.. so very, very much.

PS: Since you are, apparently, granting wishes.. can you make me as creative and talented as Tara? Heh, worth a shot anyways..

[Owl]

Mmmm, I have that fuzzy, post-Neverland update feeling.

I've gotta admit, I read most of this with my fingers over my eyes, scream-whispering FFFUUUUUUUUUUU sporadically. The closeness of them to the them of them is utterly maddening. I just get so scared that something is going to go terribly awry and ruin everything as they teeter so precariously on the brink of the them. But there's a plan, nothing can go terribly awry when there's a plan, right? Sigh. I have faith in the plan and I have faith in Willow's faith in plans, but I also know that if there is any force in this universe that could deter Willow from a carefully thought out plan, it's Tara.

I loved the talk of backpacking around Europe as that is very relevant to my interests right now. I loved Willow's joyous, adorably inappropriate 'Nope!' to the question about Morgan. I loved the Giles mention (though I don't know if he would approve of his books being forced to obey Newton's third law in such a way, with the possible book damage that may ensue). I LOVE the idea of laying on the roof to look at the fog in theory (are you a fan of The Shins? there's a line in 'Australia' off Wincing the Night Away, 'born to gaze into night skies', which pretty much sums up my life and how I feel about roofs at night time), but it's also making my stomach all acidy (in a 'hurts so good' kinda way) considering what they may discuss while caught up in the glorious romance of fog and cider. Eek!

I also loved the Lady Gaga mention because she's basically my hero right now, but I don't know if I should be dickish and point out the um, slight time slip that appears to be going on there? My pride at having been observant enough to notice it is currently out weighing my usual annoyance at people who point out things like this. It's pretty much the best time slip ever though.

Thanks so much for these last few updates. I didn't leave feedback for the previous one due to slackertude and a general fear of the kind of rambling that you're currently experiencing, but I definitely loved both it and updating my Neverland playlist after reading it. Looking forward to the next instalment of this most sublime torture.

[LonelyTara]

Ah gosh! This was brilliant! I can't wait to see the what she's painting, and what will happen on the rooftop! The dancing around the memory of the time they spent together three years before was tense and shivery, leaping right off the "page" at me. As always, the prose is elegant and vivid. I've included some favorite moments:

Tara dropped her eyes. "You um, you don't like Morgan." The words were out of her mouth before she knew she said them, and hearing them out loud made her brow crinkle in confusion. She glanced up and evaluated the guilty look on Willow's face, and a perverse sense of pride washed over the blonde. Willow didn't despise Morgan; Willow was jealous. The blonde blinked owlishly as the concept sunk in, and she thought with detached amusement how dizzy she suddenly felt.

Yes she is, Tara. Jealous as all get out! Now, who was she shouting about loving? You! You! You!

There was a long pause. Tara looked up and decided to try brave. "What does the song remind you of, the one from the CD? 'Switching Off'...?"
"Oh, uh." Willow paused. She looked up and saw the open look on Tara's face. The night after the park. She felt the truth push at her lips. "This, really, really great night." A light blush stole across her face.
"Must have been some night," Tara said with a half smile. When she caught the question in Willow's eyes, she softly teased, "You're blushing."
"Oh," Willow replied, her fingers absently touching her face as her head dipped and the blush intensified.
Tara immediately frowned as Willow's eyes remained averted. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean–"
"It was," Willow interjected simply as she looked up and met Tara's gaze. "It was the best night," she added.
Tara nodded, the honesty and tenderness in the redhead's tone striking her mute. Willow's words immediately replayed in the blonde's head and she swore she heard yearning. Is she yearning for me? Her heart skipped a beat. Tara looked down at the table and pushed her empty beer glass toward her water. "A-Are all the songs like that?" She asked, looking up and making eye contact. "On the CD, do all of them, mean, as much?"

Totally yearning for you, without a doubt. It's amazing how powerful these moments are!

I have it on my phone," the redhead teasingly offered, as she lightly fingered the device in her pocket.
"Tempting, but I'll wait." The blonde paused, her tone more serious as she continued. "I can be patient."
Willow's heart fluttered and her mouth went dry at the profoundly earnest look on Tara's face. The redhead opened her mouth to speak, and finding nothing forthcoming, simply settled on an earth-shattering smile.

I hope that Willow realized how important this moment was. Tara is so marvelous, so kind and loving, to reach out to her red haired girl this way!

I can't wait for the next update!

[fhiwda]

Phenomenal update...now can we get to the coming out? Pretty please? After Willow and Tara kiss on the roof of course.

[dreamingstate47]

So I'm fairly new to the BtVS scene. I didn't actually watch the show until last summer and then I've spent the past year and a bit lurking Pens for stories to read. And I feel like I've managed to read most of the great ones (although I tend to discover more of them fairly frequently). But the unfortunate bit about arriving on the scene almost a decade late is that when a work that was started six years ago isn't already finished, there usually isn't much hope that it ever will be.

I am so glad that this story is one of the exceptions to that rule. When I saw yesterday that this had been updated I may or may not have squealed a little bit and done a little happy dance in my chair. (Thankfully my roommate has grown fairly accustomed to my spontaneous giggles).

Also, I can't imagine being one of the people strung along on this journey for six years. Because when I started reading this and it was 50 some odd parts long and there were 80 pages in the thread... well I assumed that... I dunno something more would have happened by the time I caught up. And waiting six years to get to this point where it feels like everything is about to just fall into place... I think it must have been agony (but the good kind).

And yet it doesn't feel at all forced or contrived that you've made it so far without them finally figuring it all out. Because for the characters it's only been a week since the party at Morgan's when Tara was so sure that Willow was in love with Xander. But you put so much detail and tension into the story that reading a couple hundred thousand words about one week isn't at all tedious. (Even though every time I finish reading an update all I can think is "Can't it be the weekend yet so Willow can come out and she and Tara can make with the kisses and gay love?")

*Cough* Umm... What I'm trying to say is that I like this story... a lot. So thank you for sticking with it for the past six years.

[JustSkipIt]

Hey Heather,
I really enjoyed this update very much. I feel like they've both made a shift here. I think it's the total knowing. Like they're totally dating and both of them know that they're totally dating. Strangely, they both seem ok with the sort of stasis. I mean, it's hard to control their joy but at the same time, they're both being somewhat patient about it. I can almost seem them ... I don't know, like when they start to actually date, they'll look back on this with such affection and romance. "Remember that night we hung the lights in your room? I wanted to kiss you so badly..." or "When I saw the red in the painting... I could barely stand up..." It's this such lovely time for them.

I love Willow's eagerness to announce that Morgan's not dating anyone and Tara's realization that Willow's jealous. Yes, Tara! That's it exactly. I'm also amused thinking of the way that so much of Tara's "knowledge" is still comprised of story. First there was her story of Willow - that Willow was straight and in love with Xander. Now she has a new story - that Willow gay and maybe interested in her or more. It's a true story but it's actually still only a story.

Now... going to dinner is one thing... but stargazing with blankets and hot cider? That really takes this dating/not dating to an extreme. If they can actually control their hormones they're either the most controlled people ever or ... there's sort of something wrong with them.

A last thought and this is not meant at criticism of you but of something I realized as I was reading. The waitress kept saying "you girls" and it just grated on me. Then I realized I was waiting to read "y'all..." instead. It just sounds so natural to me to say/read/write y'all it's weird to read "you girls"... Anyway, it made me chuckle.

[marlaman22]

esto es una maravilla, tara guiará a willow al su puerto en donde la espera tara, por eso le dijo lo de ser paciente y que "ella lo sabe" she knows.

AMAZING, TARA KNOWS WILLO KNOWS AND FEEL FOR HER, THATIS WHY "I´LL BE PATIENCE" THING, TARA IS GOING TO GUIDE WILLOW TO HER PORT. JUST WONDERFUL!!!

[inspiron]

Woo hoo – you’re definitely on a roll with these updates!

One thing that really stuck out for me during this update was Tara’s reaction to Willow’s gayness. She’s not freaked or really questioning it anymore. You’ve written her thoughts and mental progression over the last few chapters so well that it just seems like she’ll take it all in her stride. I mean, I could completely understand if Tara was freaking out because she was theoretically dating the object of her dreams and desires, but instead she seems cool, calm and collected (on the exterior, anyway).

And as for Willow, oh how I adore her! She’s just so Willowy! I really wish they’d get over their bouts of awkwardness around each other, but hopefully Willow will loosen up once the cat is out of the bag and she’s no longer focused on “the plan.” Having said that, I really love that she couldn’t stop herself from getting a little bit more Tara time up on the roof! This would have to be the ultimate test for their hormones, eh?!

Apart from that glorious yet mysterious day in the park, the other thing I’m very curious about are the songs Willow picked out for “Tara’s” playlist – didn’t she promise to make Tara a mixed CD this week?

Fog gazing, fog painting, Willow’s favourite band – as usual, you’ve left us all anxiously craving for more!

[wimpy0729]

Oh Heather, this was such a delight. Their whole interaction was so, um, delicious I guess would be an appropriate word. The comfortable conversation, the almost slip ups, the light flirting, was all so perfect. And Tara finally realizing Willow was jealous of Morgan - lightbulb moment, finally. There's so much more, but I don't want to waste your time with my silly words. Just know, as usual, I loved it all. Now I really can't wait to see what Tara is creating with her new inspiration, and of course, what happens on their roof date. Oh, that sounds like a very romantic situation, so I have to wonder if Willow will be able to stick to her plan or finally let the cat out of the bag.

RE: "P.S. Don't know if you saw but Christmas Quickie featuring the infamous Lesbian Nasal Fracture... Totally made my day remembering good times and your special brand of evil genius. So glad a new generation of Kittens are going to be educated about the dangers of LNF."

OMG, I laughed so hard when I saw it on the front page again. I couldn't believe people would remember it after so long. I had to re-read stuff myself because I kind of forgot some of it, and there are bits that actually made ME blush. lol Thanks for the kind words, and now I'm blushing again.

Thanks so much for the timely update once again. Can't wait to see what happens up on the roof!


Wimpy

[Sanpfa]

I've been wanting to start reading this fic from the beginning again, but I'm stubborn and I know if I do, I'll make myself wait for the updates until I get to them again and I don't know if I can handle the torture. I'm not sure I can handle waiting for this next update. I think this is probably the most anticipated update of Neverland ever

What I'm trying to say is, "Wow." I'm speechless and sooo excited to see what will happen next. The date was fantastic and perfectly written. I was SO excited that Willow finally said the word that she had been screaming in her head from the moment she saw the painting... "RED!"

It also makes me ecstatic that the little details that you have woven into this story from it's beginning that truly show how the girls feel about each other, are finally smacking them in their respective foreheads.

Yay for the upcoming detour, may it be less bumpy than my last

More please...

[DaddyCatALSO]

Interesting progression. In the previous chapter, Tara starts thinking about Willow as possibly gay and thinking she could provide ehr a shoulder and advice and such, ie. she hit the nail right on the head of exactly what Willow doesn't want from her.
Then in this chapter, she starts the inevitable train of thought that somehow Willow is keeping *Tara* as a kind of secret, somethign Tara on the show certainly had to have in mind during S-4.
But that doesn't last; Tara decides to trust this person she's come to know so much better during the course of this 2190-day week and to have the patience to get thru at least these next few days without worrying about it. (I know a bit about relationships where a person odesn't have patience :-( so yay Tara.)

As I said soem time back, the chapter with Willow and her mother will very likely be the hardest emotionally to write, with Buffy maybe second, so if thsi takes a while, it's understood.

[Foomatic]

Watch the fog? Are you kidding me? The amount of heat that's going to get generated from the two of them on a sleeping bag under a blanket lying THISCLOSE to one another is going to evaporate all the fog from the city down to Half Moon Bay. Why don't they just cue up the Barry White as well?

Funny thing you mention about the dating. When my partner and I were in college, we'd always hang out with one another. When I got up in the morning, the first thing in my head was "What are Steph and I doing tonight?" It wasn't until after we got together that we realized we had been pretty much dating the whole time, heh. I like that Tara's thinking that way. Willow didn't say, "Do you want to grab a bite to eat?" She said, "Will you have dinner with me?" That screams Date-ville, no matter how you spin it.

Oh, and Will's a Hef girl? A girl after my own heart. Nothing like a cold Hef.

[sadie]

Wew thanks for such a quick update!

The dinner date was wonderfully written again, the flirting is amazing, especially now it all seems to go a little deeper ("I can be patient"). I get the idea Tara's feeling more and more confident about Willow's feelings, but since for us as readers it's so painfully obvious, I'm not exactly sure how much reason she actually has, or should have, to doubt Willow's feelings. On the other hand I think Tara, like Willow, just can't help herself either, even if for her there's still a chance that it's all 'wishful thinking'.

So for some reason I can completely get into Willow's mindset and think "WTF are you doing?" while at the same time not being able to NOT do it... as in, asking Tara out, then suggesting the roof snuggles... It's hard to imagine nothing will happen up there! Or, of course, there'll be a LOT of frustration

I can't wait to see where you're gonna go with this - if something does happen, whether they will 'rush' cause they can't help themselves and then deal with the drama (Willow coming out etc.), or the other way round... or if something unexpected will come up out of nowhere (!)

Everything is slowly falling into place, and I want them together so badly but at the same time I want this to last as long as possible! Best paradox ever Thanks so much for sharing!

[sabina]

Hi Heather,

First, thanks for another awesome update

I was re-reading the first chapters of Neverland yesterday and i just realized that actually Willow and Tara have made huge progress in understanding each other since then. At the beginning they could barely string together two sentences to say to each other and look at them go now Gradually they have stopped to assume the worst possible scenario in all situations and started to listen to each other and really hear what the other was saying.

I loved their 'secret' date though i'm pretty sure it isn't much of a secret to either of them anymore. Willow's little jealous outburst, Tara's gentle teasing, the all around flirting fest. It's undeniable there's something there for both of them.
Now, i wonder if what's really keeping Willow back isn't that unstoppable fear one gets when their standing on the threshold of a life altering step. What lays behind is well known and even if it wasn't a very happy place it was comfortable and on the other hand what lays ahead is completely unknown.

I'm very very curious to read your next update Willow and Tara laying together, side by side, under a blanket to fog gaze? The fog all around them, thick, sheltering them from the real world... that's a very big temptation to resist
Then again, Tara is patient and Willow has a plan so all bets are off, lol.

I'll be eagerly waiting your next update Take care.

[Grimm]

Please, please, please put me out of my misery....I beg of you!! Great update.

[WillowRTaraM1]

Oh Heather,

You've done made my little day. I was beyond excited to come back to The Kitten to find a few updates waiting for me. I don't even really associate Neverland with fanfiction or Buffy anymore. It's just one of my favorite works of fiction period. It's really been a great roller coaster ride reading it all these years, like I've said before you have this gift for capturing the FEELING of a moment and putting it down on paper.

I was just grinning like the Cheshire cat reading these last few updates. I love how Willow and Tara's relationship is progressing so naturally, its really just perfect. I'm wondering if Willow is going to derail her plan or not.. hehe. And I feel like we're getting closer to figuring out what happened that dern day in the park!! Lol.

I hope you and the fam are well! I'm on pins and needles waiting for the fog watching : )

Jackie

[Agilulfa]

Great update, an so soon too! I loved Willow's involuntaly and cheery "nope" and the whole dialogue in the restaurant. It's still weird to see the girls talk to each other so much in this story, I hope it will keep going on like this!
Even if I adore every single scene of neverland I couldn't help myself thinking "when does this evening end?! I want to know what happens on saturday!!", then Willow wanted to fog-gaze (this word sounds strange..) and I was all "Okay, change that, I want to know HOW this night ends", as I already said, great update.

[shiraz]

Wonderful, excellent, and awesome update! Loved everything about the date. I love how quickly things are moving. Will goes from this:
[blockquote]Yes, this is a date. I admit it, Tara might know it, it's a date. But that doesn't mean it has to change the plan. Just be casual. Dinner, maybe a hug when you get home and then straight to bed.[/blockquote]

To this:
[blockquote]"We should go up on the roof when we get home and look at the fog."

Tara double-taked and smiled. She let the redhead's words hang between them for a moment before she spoke. "You want to go on the roof and look at the fog?" she repeated, her voice disbelieving and teasing.[/blockquote]

In one update! As Willow says this isn't helping with the sticking to the plan plan and I want it to be known (it has to be said) I don't care about the plan! Bring on the rooftop lovin'!! Let'em have some fun in the fog! It's time for them to get naked! I'm just sayin'...

Thanks for this and I can't wait to see what happens on the foggy rooftop

shiraz

[ms_psyhco_pep_squad]

I can't get over how addicting this story is. I've been sneaking little snippets of it between classes and when I should be doing work and everything. It's impossible to get enough. lol
Willow and Tara are so, sooooo close to finally sharing that ever-evasive first kiss.... Beyond exited for when that'll actually happen!!

Edited to add:
Oh, almost forgot to ask: what songs are on the "Real Me" playlist so far? I've lost track, but really want to look them up, so that'd be really helpful.

[vampyregurl73]

Heather -

Yet again another wonderful update. The characters are recognizing their emotions and finally naming them in order to claim them. Time is truly becoming of the essence. It can almost be heard like the ticking of a grandfather clock, the countdown is more than underway.

Can Willow hold back and not tell Tara the one thing she wants most to say, and that Tara truly wants to hear?

Their dance is bittersweet, neither knowing where exactly they stand, and praying that when they do finally tell the object of their affection the truth, all will be well. The "little" things like dinner, the concert, and now soon to be fog gazing already mean so much to them both.

Again the clock ticks away at both Willow's resolve, and her coming out. I can't wait.

[BeMyDeputy]

Once again, quite excellent.

Of particular note were the following:

"You know, Tara–"

I loved this. As a reader, I’m desperate to know what Willow was going to say here. On the other hand, even as a new writer, what’s amazing is that you have everyone on tenterhooks. It doesn’t matter how the sentence ends: it matters that it didn’t.

I am a sucker for rhetorical devices, and the parallelism here is impressive:

"Can I ask you a question?" Tara asked, her eyes darting to her hands in her lap and then back up.

"Of course," Willow said, returning her napkin to her lap and taking a pull from her beer.

"In my studio," the blonde started, her voice open and earnest, "you said the painting was like 'Fillmore,' only... what?" It was a question that had been knocking around in her head since Willow said the words, and something about the way the redhead looked at her from across the table made Tara feel safe in asking for an answer.

"Oh, uh," Willow looked away as she refilled her water glass from the carafe on the table. "It's like 'Fillmore,' only, red," she said simply as she returned her gaze to the artist. The redhead nodded to the blonde's glass and Tara nodded in agreement; wordlessly Willow refilled the blonde's water.

. . .

"So, I was wondering if I could ask you a question now. It's about painting," the redhead said nervously.

"Of course," the blonde replied, her words unintentionally mimicking the redhead's early reply to her similar inquiry.

"What was the inspiration behind 'Neon Choir'?" Tara blushed lightly. "I mean, if it's okay to ask."

"Wednesday night," Tara said simply, taking a sip of water.
Emphasis added

It’s so much more than just the question and answer setup and the “Of course” that you point out. They both respond “simply,” even though so much about their answers is complex. Willow fills Tara’s water glass when she answers, and Tara drinks that water when she answers. I bet that if pressed I could even write something about the inherent symbolism of the drink being water, and the fog and everything.

"I can be patient."

Is it still dramatic irony when you’re pretty sure both characters involved know what it means? (And oh, yeah, nicely done.)

She knows.

Very powerful. Resonated with the “I am” moment.

"We should go to the Beach Chalet next week."

I like how this dovetails with her plan (next week is after she tells Sheila and Buffy) but at the same time is asking Tara on a date. We’ll see if the plan survives the fog (my money is on yes), but this still keeps with it.

[dragonfly]

Hi Heather,

Wow, another update!!! I’m surprised and very glad to find it so soon. Absolutely lovely, every moment it was just heart melting. New revelations for Tara, I was nodding along “yes, Tara you guys are dating”, super happy their bravery didn’t fade after realizing they were going on a date. On one end Willow freaked out a little bit, but didn’t stop her from enjoying Tara, and very good the quick change of subjects, avoid-y but safe for now, and on the other Tara more confident that her loved one is not as straight as she originally thought. It’s definitely getting harder for Will to stick to her plan, don’t blame her though, she keep her feelings hidden for too long, now they want out.
Loved and laughed when Will quickly answered the waitress about Morgan, total give away of her jealously as Tara noticed. Their feelings are so clear and they both are noticing more and more by the minute that Will’s coming out and her declaration to Tara seem will be just a formality, one I can’t wait to see. All their conversation and interaction during dinner was amazing, I gulped when Tara said she can be patient, it’s only for a few more days!!!
Next a roof date, I loved it in S4, so blankets, pillows, hot cider and fog gazing this time…it’s going to be hard not to reach out and hold hands, some snuggling maybe? And already future plans for more dates, like I said lovely update, enjoyed it very much.

On the real life part, I hope you’re well and glad your little one is healthy and keeping you busy, but it’s a good way of being busy I’m sure, am not a mother yet, but I see the wonder of having kids from my friends. My craziness is getting better; things seem to be going toward a good point and can see solutions to some of my worries ahead.

Thank you for this amazing update and can’t wait for their next date, now that it’s sort of official.
Love,
Clau

[mishki]

As a committed lurker, it is rare that I pop out to say anything. But I just love this story. Went back and read the whole darn thing over the last few days, just so I could sort of, roll around in it. Angsty and sweet. I love the build up. I can't wait for more. Thank you for coming back and giving us more.

she

[WillowRulez]

It is, if you count my son; he wasn't even close to being born and a "week" goes by and he's walking and talking. Surreal.

Very surreal, but also cool that you still stick with the story!

Dinner, maybe a hug when you get home and then straight to bed. The thought of writhing in bed with a very naked Tara scorched her mind. Alone! Straight to bed, alone!

Cracked me up.
I love how Tara keeps figuring out stuff, like that they might be dating and Willow being jealous of Morgan. Now I really cant wait for the next update... which probably wont be the coming out already right?
Keep up the amazing work!

[Cyteach]

All I can say is that I yearn for this story.. and updates

[Suzyque4215]

I found this fic a little over a week ago, and just love it. You are a Wonderful writer I hope you relize that. You have captured the girls so well and brought them to life as the story progressed. While I read I am right there with them. I can't wait until willow comes out to her mother and Buffy so she can be fully be what Tara wants not the straight girl. But I'm worried that as soon as that happens the story will be over and I think that that is really just the beginning. There are so many things they need to xperience yet.

Also I want to say you are amazing for sticking with this story and not leaving it unfinshed. Your dedication is wonderful. I for one am very thankful that you have not left it unfinished.

Thank you
Wanda

[pipsberg]

Late again! But, that's "my thing" these days I absolutely loved this update! What an awesome date. I can't really say it's their first, because if they were being honest with each other they have had several...so this is one of many secret dates, but most definitely the openest (I know that's not a word, I made it up).

I loved the picture you painted of Magnolia's... having been there several times, you were spot on. It's has romantic potential if you're there on a date, but it's not overbearing. Their conversation was outstanding. You have this amazing way of capturing their canon personalities in original ways and the conversation is always complicated in that you jump really well from the dialouge to their thoughts without losing me.

LOVED Willow's comments about Morgan and then her trying to dig her way out of the ditch she created! So funny. I don't know that she realizes just how obvious she is, but Tara sure does by now.

Like other kittens, I had butterflies the whole time...they are so adorable and real, it just makes you feel like you are reliving you're best first date - mine was OUSTANDING, thanks - or that you are really a fly on the wall observing them. Loved loved loved it!! So well done!

Congratulations on another wonderful and speedy update and I look forward to the next one! Love you and... GO GIANTS, BRING HOME THE PENNANT! xoxo

[JustSkipIt]

2 things:

1. Yay! FB from pipsberg which usually immediately precedes an update...

2. Go Rangers!

[Kajun]

2 things:

1. Yay! FB from pipsberg which usually immediately precedes an update...

2. Go Rangers!

AHHHHHHH!!! She didn't mean it! Really... ummm.. go Giants..

We're talkin' football, yes? hee hee..