Author: Katie aka Luv4WillTara
Rating: NC-17
Feedback: Please leave feedback on the Summer Camp thread on the Kitten Board.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy Inc. and ME.
Author's notes: Thoughts in italics.

Tara ran into the forest with tears running down her cheeks.

I knew it! I knew that the reason she felt so uncomfortable touching me was because she didn't like me. Not that I blame her though. I mean, who could like me? I'm fat and ugly, I have bad hair and I have the sex appeal of a dead rat. I wouldn't like me if I was her either! This is just like the Cordelia thing! They are only nice to me because they have to be! But it felt so right to be with her. I have so much fun with her and I feel so comfortable and happy. I thought we clicked! What happened? Why does everyone hate me? I guess Donny was right; I will die alone! Tara thought while running down the path. Tara spotted a big rock that was overlooking the lake and decided to sit down on it. She rested her head in her hands and began to sob harder.

Oh god, why did this have to happen to me?

Willow ran outside barefooted, searching frantically for Tara.

Oh god! This isn't happening. It is not real! It is just a bad nightmare! Wake up dammit, WAKE UP! Please! God, where is she? Please just let me find her. God Tara, I'm so sorry! I do like you. I like you so much. More than you could ever know! I think I'm in love with you. I know I am, but I'm too much of a coward to tell anyone about it, and because of that I ended up hurting you. I am so sorry!................. God, WHERE IS SHE?

"TARA," Willow yelled while running into the forest, not caring about the rocks and sticks that were cutting the bottoms of her feet. She searched for 20 minutes before running back to the cabin to check if she went back. She burst through the door to find Buffy still sitting on Tara's bed.

"Buffy, I can't find her," Willow said as tears started to well up in her eyes. Buffy walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her.

"Shh Willow, it is going to be ok!" Buffy said while stroking her hair; trying to comfort her.

"No, it won't. Buffy, I do like her. In more than a friendshipy type of way! I said I didn't because I was scared and now Tara hates me!" Willow finally broke down and cried in Buffy's arms.

"Willow, I'm sure she doesn't hate you, she's just hurt. You just have to go explain what happened!" Buffy said as she led them over to the bed.

"I know, but how am I suppose to do that when I don't know where she is? I mean, did you see her face? She looked so hurt!" Willow replied while sitting down next to Buffy.

"Willow, it will be ok! Trust me. Put on your shoes and we'll go out and look for her together. Plus, there's something that I want to talk to you about as well."

Willow walked over to the door and put on her shoes. The pain in her feet became unbearably noticeable after taking her first few steps out of the cabin. She tried her best to ignore the pain, and to not let Buffy see how much actual pain she was in. She knew that if her best friend knew about the cuts on her feet, she would make her go back to her cabin for sure, and she needed to find Tara.

"So, Buffy, what did you want to talk to me about?" Willow said as they made their way down the path and into the forest.

"Uh, well you know how I said I wanted to talk to you about Tara and Faith, but we only got to talk about Tara?" Buffy replied while trying her best to spot Tara.

"No, why would I remember that?" Willow said with a sarcastic tone; really starting to worry about Tara.

"Yeah, well, what do you think of Faith?" Buffy said nervously. It is ok. She said she 'likes' Tara, meaning that she will be open minded and understanding about Faith and I!

"Faith's cool. You know, she's good-looking and wears cool dark clothing and has a cool way of speaking and all. I think she's pretty cool. Actually she reminds me of that guy you described. You know, the one you said you l..... Oh my god, is your mystery man Faith?" Willow asked in bewilderment.

"Uh, yeah... maybe. Is Tarriq actually Tara?" Buffy asked, still not convinced that Willow was going to be ok with the fact that she was dating Faith.

"Uh, yeah... maybe! Ok, yes it is! I've really liked her since the first day at summer camp! And it has really confused me because hello, I'm a girl, she's a girl. It isn't supposed to work that way! At least that's what everyone tells me!" Willow replied as she stepped forward onto a rock, causing her cut foot to sting and her to wince in pain.

"I think that's bull. I mean who are they to say who we..." Buffy trailed off when she noticed her friend in pain. "... Are you ok Willow?"

"What? Oh, yeah I'm fine. I just, ugh, stepped on a rock!" Willow replied, doing her best to hide the large amount of pain in her foot.

"Well let me see your foot then. Maybe the rock broke through the skin," Buffy replied, concerned for her friend.

"Hey, no that's ok. We have to find Tara. Buffy, she's sick! I mean, ok she's not death bed sick, but she should be in bed, so we have to find her. I need to find her. I need to make things better between us!" Willow replied, trying to take Buffy's mind off her feet.

"Willow, we are not moving until I see your foot!" Buffy said while crossing her arms over her chest. She wasn't giving in! Willow sighed as she took off her shoe and showed Buffy her foot.

"Willow, what happened? Your foot is cut to shreds. What did you do?" Buffy said as she kneeled down and examined Willow's foot.

"I ran to find Tara without any shoes and the broken tree branches and rocks and such cut my feet," Willow replied, wincing as Buffy placed her foot back into her shoe.

"That is it. You are going back to bed. I'll go back to my cabin and wait for Faith to get back from helping the councilor people. She and I will go find Tara, but YOU are going to bed. I can't believe you walked this far with those feet!" Buffy said as she dragged Willow back to the cabin and put her in bed.

"I'll be back later. Like I said, I'm just going to wait for Faith to get back, and then we'll find Tara!"

Faith opened the door to cabin 9 and walked in. She looked around and saw her roommate lying on the bed, the covers pulled up so you could only see her blonde hair spread out on her pillow.

"Now that is so damn cute," Faith said as she crawled into the bed beside her girlfriend. She wrapped an arm around her as she nuzzled her neck. Faith reached up and placed a kiss on her girlfriend's lips. I think I should wake her up. Faith kissed her girlfriend again and smiled when she started to respond. Faith opened her eyes and let them adjust to closeness of her blonde beauty. Once the girl's face was in focus Faith jumped back in shock

"TARA???" Faith yelled as she jumped off the bed; horrified that she just kissed her best friend.

"Oh my god, Faith, what are you doing?" Tara asked; in just as much shock as Faith was.

"No, I didn't mean to kiss you. I thought you were Buffy," Faith tried to explain.

"Oh ok. Wait, why would you be kissing Buffy?" Tara asked, her mind buzzing from everything that had happened today. At that moment, Buffy opened the door and walked into the cabin.

"Hey guys. Why do I suddenly feel very awkward about walking in here?" Buffy asked while looking from Tara to Faith and noticing the uncomfortable looks on their faces.

"Hey B," Faith said as she walked over and quickly kissed her girlfriend hello. She put an arm around Buffy's neck and turned her head towards Tara.

"Buffy and I are kinda... together now, T!" Faith exclaimed, answering Tara's question before Buffy walked into the room.

"R-really? Congratulations guys. I'm happy f-for you," Tara said, truly happy for her friend.

"Yeah, she basically told me I was gay. We were talking about Willow and... WILLOW! Oh Tara, there was a big mistake. Willow didn't mean what she said. You came in at the end and it sounded like Willow said she didn't like you, well I mean she did, but not in that way! See, I came over to tell her about Faith and I, but as I was building up my courage I asked her if she 'like' liked you. You know, in more than a friendly way. She said she didn't, but I kept asking, telling her it was alright if she did. Well then she got frustrated, which is totally understandable, and she yelled, 'I DON'T LIKE TARA!' and that's when you walked in. But she didn't mean she doesn't like you as a person, because she really really does. It was all just a misunderstanding! She's at your cabin right now. I said I would go and find you because she was all hurt and crying and messy and such, so you have to go back to the cabin so you can talk!" Buffy said in only two breaths. Faith looked at Buffy in confusion as Tara got on her shoes and headed out the door; not saying anything to Buffy or Faith. Tara walked down the pathway to cabin 6, rubbing her hands against her jeans to try and calm her nerves. She walked up to the door, and took a deep breath before turning the handle. After stalling for a couple minutes, Tara finally pushed the door open and poked her head inside.

"Willow?"