Author: Ghost of Eternity
Rating: PG
Copyright: I do not own the Buffyverse, Joss does. I do, however, own this story and this idea, so there!
Note: Thoughts appear in italics; Tara and the animals speak to each other like this < > and magic spells like this ~ ~.

"Aw come on Buffy, why do we have to go? Why can't we just stay here?"

"I told you Dawn, Willow wanted to be alone with Tara for the evening. Xander and Anya are already gone, so I told her we'd leave after dinner."

"But Buffeeee..."

"Don't you 'But Bufeeee...' me, Dawn Elaine. Stop whining and suck it up."

Willow and Tara parted from their passionate kiss and gazed into each other's eyes. The firelight glinted in Willow's emerald gaze and Tara could see the desire there. It made her knees weak and her heart pound, not to mention her arousal grow immensely.

The blonde unconsciously licked her lips and leaned in for another kiss. She responded and gently pushed Tara onto her bedroll, undoing the laces on her bodice slowly.

She broke away and gasped out, "I've been waiting to take this off since our ride together."

"Hmm, d-do tell..." Tara said as Willow pushed the sleeves of her dress down her shoulders; trailing kisses; revealing more of Tara's slightly darker skin to her mouth. She tastes like apples... the red head mused to herself as she felt Tara's hands drift to the fastening of her breeches and begin to undo them.

It was in that moment that Giles appeared, and what a sight he was greeted with: Willow and Tara locked in a passionate embrace in various states of undress. "Oh good lord!" he gasped.

Willow looked up and blushed red, while Tara turned even darker as they did both made a move to cover themselves.

"Uh, Giles... didn't see you there. Is, um, everything all right?" Willow stammered out. Tara buried her red face into Willow's shoulder, not able to even look at Giles.

The sorcerer removed his glasses and began cleaning them; a nervous habit; as he said "Well, I've got some news on how to defeat Ethan, if you aren't... Busy."

Willow sat up and refastened her breeches as Tara laced her bodice back up, both of them a light pink.

"We're all ears," Willow said, regaining her composure, "What do you know?"

"Well, it seems that after Ethan's birth, a prophecy was made by a seer. It goes something like this:

'The evil
Will rise within him
And he shall smite all in his path
But woe to him
Should he meet
A girl with hair of gold
And eyes of April sky
Shy as the bluebird
Powerful as the sun
She alone
Shall defeat him
The dark one.'

I realized, that after reading it several times, the girl described in the prophecy is..."

Giles trailed off. Willow prompted him, "Well, who is it?"

"The girl in the prophecy is none other than Tara!"

Willow's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. Tara gasped.

Me? I'm the girl in the prophecy? I can save everyone? That's impossible! As she tried to process all of it, Willow lashed out at Giles.

"No! I won't have Tara put in any danger! Find someone else to put in your prophecy, Giles, because Tara-"

"What do I have to do?"

Willow turned and looked at Tara, "What?"

"I said, What do I have to do?" Tara stood up and touched Willow on the shoulder, "If I am the girl in this prophecy, then I'm going to do anything and everything I can to save everyone. And you, Willow."

Willow saw the determined look in Tara's eyes and knew there would be no more arguing. Her girlfriend had made up her mind.

Willow watched as Giles strode out of the cave. He and Tara had spent an awful long time talking where she couldn't hear them, and she wondered what they had said.

Tara came over and sat down beside Willow. She could tell her girlfriend was upset. "W-willow." she said softly. Willow didn't even look at her. "Will, please, look at me."

Willow turned and watched Tara as she said; "I t-told Giles that I-I'm willing to do w-what it t-takes to fulfill the p-prophecy. He knows that, but I want you to know that this is what I want to do." Tara's stutter was gone as she continued, "He said that I had to concentrate on my studies as much as possible."

Willow looked puzzled, her anger gone; "What did he mean?" Tara blushed and suddenly Willow understood. "Oh. Um, okay. So, I guess that means we wait, huh?"

Tara nodded and Willow smiled, "I'd prefer to make love to you on a bed anyway."

The blonde smiled, her heart warmed at the thought and that Willow wasn't angry with her anymore. "Really?"

"Yeah. With a fireplace and red silk sheets on the bed. Oh, and rose oil to rub all over you." Willow herself blushed a little at that.