Please read the Disclaimer before continuing to remain in the site or reading the stories. These stories contain adult material with scenes of women loving women. Consider this story to have an R rating. If this is illegal in your state or you are underage, please go to a more appropriate site now.

This is a sequel to the Willow and Tara novel, Unexpected Consequences. If you haven’t read that first, you will be quite lost. It can be accessed at

http://www.quiknet.com/~lcountry/unexpected01.html

Unexpected Consequences: Milestones

By Lisa Countryman

© July 2002

CHAPTER FOUR

Willow woke up to the sensation of a warm mouth on her throat. She smiled and sighed without opening her eyes. "You’d better stop that before my wife catches you," she said sleepily.

"Really?" Tara added a lingering kiss just under Willow’s ear. "Is she a jealous woman?" Tara asked as she slid her hand over and cupped Willow’s breast.

"Oh, yes, very possessive." Willow stretched her arms over her head and yawned.

"Well, then maybe you’d better remember that." Tara’s voice was husky and full of lust. "A woman like that might just take what’s hers." She slid on top of Willow and carefully straddled her. She was still sore from the attack, and many of her injuries hadn’t begun to heal. Every movement had to be cautiously planned.

"Take what’s hers? And what might that be?" Willow asked innocently.

"You," Tara said hungrily. "You are mine and I’m just gonna’ have to take you right here and now." She kissed Willow’s neck and even tossed in a few nips.

"I’m yours?" Willow sounded playfully skeptical. "That doesn’t sound very feminist to me," she said as she turned her head to give Tara better access.

"It’s a new feminism," Tara assured her with a giggle. "See, you’re carrying my child so you’re pretty much mine." She impishly nipped Willow’s collarbone. "Umm, delicious."

"Yours?" Willow raised an eyebrow, intentionally still not convinced. "See, I’m a ‘my body, my choice’ kind of gal. How can I be an independent woman and still be yours?" She rested her hands on Tara’s hips.

"See, that’s the beauty of the new feminism," Tara whispered. She snuggled on top of Willow until she was looking directly into her eyes. "You belong to me, but in return, I belong to you." She kissed Willow tenderly. "Your body is yours, but I get unlimited use."

"So…" Willow broke the kiss and smiled. "You get free use of my body, like software share licensing or some sexy co-op?" Willow slid her hands up and cupped both of Tara’s breasts. She was careful not to bump the angry bruise under Tara’s ribs. "And in return, I get free access to these?" She squeezed Tara’s full breasts.

"Uh huh." Tara arched her head back and moaned.

"Well, I don’t know." Willow shifted her weight and guided Tara to the mattress. "I think I need to see what I’m getting from this sexy co-op," she said logically.

Tara laughed knowingly. "By all means, have a look around." She lifted her hands behind her head and rested her cast on a pillow. "Have a sample even."

"Gotta’ say, this is nice." Willow cupped one of Tara’s breasts in both hands and kissed her way around it. "And this deluxe option, gotta’ love this." She took Tara’s nipple into her mouth.

"Oh, yeah, the deluxe option. Deluxe is good, very good." Tara brought her right hand down and caressed Willow’s face as the redhead continued to lavish her breast with affection.

The door opened and Brianna wandered into the room. She paused and turned around and then knocked loudly on the open door.

Willow’s mouth came free with an audible pop. She pulled the sheet up and covered Tara’s body, tucking the flannel material under her own cheek. "Brianna, you’re supposed to knock before you come into the room," she chastised affectionately.

Tara giggled. "Good morning, sleepyhead," she said as she tugged the blankets over Willow’s back and kissed her lover’s temple. "It’s only gonna’ get worse with two of them," she reminded Willow in an affectionate whisper.

"Yeah," Willow agreed happily. "Brianna?" Willow cleared her throat and waited for her daughter to turn around.

"Silly mommy," Brianna said when she turned around. She tugged at her baggy green pajamas and grinned. Her entire chest shook as she giggled. She ran to the side of the bed and climbed up and flopped onto Willow’s back. "Big girls don’t drink milk," she told Willow as she played with her mommy’s hair. "Babies drink milk."

Tara snickered and looked at Willow. "Yeah, honey," she said seriously.

"Mommy?" Brianna smoothed Willow’s hair. "Want my binkie?"

Tara burst into howls of laughter. Brianna had used her binkie while she was giving up breastfeeding. The binkie was a small pink pacifier, and for several months, Brianna hadn’t left the house without it.

"Mommy wasn’t drinking milk," Willow said patiently. "Sometimes mommies give each other grown up kisses," she explained. "And that’s why you knock before coming into a room, okay?"

Brianna nodded and hugged Willow.

"Sure ya’ don’t want that binkie?" Tara asked sweetly. "I think I know where it is."

"Tara, you’re not too big to get a spanking," Willow whispered.

Tara laughed and tried to roll away from her lover.

"Oh, no, you come back here." Willow carefully tickled Tara’s sides.

"Help!" Tara cried playfully.

"Get her," Willow whispered.

Brianna laughed and began tickling Tara’s belly.

"No fair!" Tara complained, but she was still laughing. She tugged Brianna closer and kissed her on each cheek. "You little rat."

"Mommy’s rat," Brianna corrected.

Willow shrugged. "Hey, I never told her that." She ran her hand down Brianna’s back and then leaned forward and kissed the top of her head.

"This bed’s gonna’ get a whole lot more crowded," Tara said as she eyed their queen-sized mattress.

"We’ll buy a bigger one," Willow promised. She kissed Brianna’s cheek and then leaned past her and kissed Tara. As she pulled back she leered at Tara’s sheet covered chest. "And no binkie for me," she added with a wink. "I like the real thing."

"A true feminist," Tara said seriously.

"Absolutely," Willow agreed. She ruffled Brianna’s hair. "Ready for breakfast?"

"Pancakes," Brianna said seriously. "Not oatmeal." She made a disgusted expression. "Blech."

"Pancakes it is," Tara agreed. She gave Willow a stern look. "And you need to eat a complete breakfast with juice, cereal, fruit, and some protein."

"Yes, dear." Willow smiled. She was looking forward to being pampered and spoiled during her pregnancy. "Guess you get to force feed me this time." She smiled remembering how much she had worried about Tara’s diet, and how many times she had piled Tara’s plate with more food than ten pregnant women could eat.

"At least your mother will be happy." Tara scowled.

"Grandma?" Brianna asked. She looked to Willow expectantly.

"Grandma’s at one of her conventions," Willow told her daughter. Willow’s mother still didn’t understand why Willow had asked Tara to carry her child. As far as the rest of the world knew, Willow was the biological mother and they had one of Tara’s cousins for a sperm donor. She looked at Tara and sighed. "At least she stopped asking to meet ‘him.’ That’s a good thing," Willow said hopefully.

"Now that you’re pregnant, she’ll start right back up again," Tara said glumly.

"I’ll talk to her," Willow promised. "Let’s get some breakfast."

"Yeah!" Brianna said as she leapt from the bed and sprinted into the hall.

"If she brings up you marrying ‘him’ again, I swear I’ll turn your mother into a toad," Tara said possessively. She hugged Willow and kissed her chastely. "You are mine."

"She only said that once," Willow reminded her lover. Of course, once was one time too many. Willow’s mother had politely suggested that if Willow considered ‘this man’ good enough to father her child, couldn’t she learn to love him, and couldn’t she marry him and give Brianna a real family? Tara had cried herself to sleep after that particular suggestion.

"Once was enough," Tara said, mirroring Willow’s thoughts.

"Come on, darling, let’s feed your monster child." Willow pressed her hand over her belly a content smile bloomed. "Make that monster children." She tugged Tara up and grabbed a nightgown for each of them. "Besides, that was before Brianna was born. Mom knows you’re my always."

"She better not bring ‘him’ up," Tara warned grumpily. "I’m sure Emily actually knows how to turn nasty mother-in-laws into toads, and I’m sure she’d share the incantation with a sister mage."

"We’ll ask her," Willow agreed. She was eager to meet the woman who had rescued Tara. "For now, let’s feed our baby girl and then we’ll go see Diana. She’s gonna’ be so happy for us." She grinned as she pulled Tara into the hall.

*****

"What the hell were you two thinking?" Diana’s voice shook as she gripped the side of the exam table.

"Hey, this is a personal choice and none of your business," Willow said defensively. "And, and, why aren’t you happy for us?" She moved closer to the table where Tara was sitting.

"Look at her," Diana said angrily. She put both hands on her hips and glared at Tara. "Do you even care about your own health?"

"Wh—" Tara crinkled her brow and started to answer.

"And you," Diana said to Willow as she paced nervously. "Do you even have a brain in that head?"

Dawn was standing at the back of the room. She was trying to learn the intricacies of mixing medicine with magic, but at the moment she wasn’t sure she wanted to be in the same country with Diana, let alone the same room. The Wiccan doctor had a temper and she didn’t like her patients taking risks.

"Am I supposed to answer that?" Willow asked slowly. "Cuz, well, this is our business and if you don’t want to be our obstetrician, well, you don’t have to." She was getting more than a little angry.

"You could have killed Tara," Diana said bluntly.

Willow’s eyes widened. "Wha—"

"K-killed?" Tara stuttered.

"Killed," Diana repeated. "What were you thinking?" she demanded as she grabbed her stethoscope and moved closer to Tara. "You have a broken wrist, stitches, a concussion, hell, you have a fractured skull, Tara!" She threw her stethoscope aside and rubbed her face with both palms. "You exhausted your powers as a fledgling mage, and then you decide to enact one of the most draining rituals in Wicca?" She took a deep breath and look down at her hands. They were shaking violently.

"How bad is it?" Dawn asked. She rested a hand on Diana’s shoulder.

"Tara was supposed to be resting," Diana said as she glared at the blonde. "I didn’t think they’d be stupid enough to make love when Tara was nursing those injures, and if I thought they were insane enough to try creation magics, I would have kept Tara in the infirmary until she was healed."

"Well, they did," Dawn said gently. "Now what?"

Diana sighed and nodded. She waved a hand at the instruments on the wall. "Take her blood pressure and get the rest of her vitals." She smiled at Dawn. "You have a pretty good bedside manner." She rubbed her neck and sighed again. "Check Tara’s eyes for any lingering effects of the concussion and I’ll do a blood draw to get a pregnancy test on Willow. It’s early, but that new serum test should give us a good reading."

"Vitals? See, I can do that." Dawn smiled sweetly. She spun and gave a Willow a grim frown. "I’m not sure I’d want a pissed off doctor taking my blood," she whispered.

"Um…" Willow took a step back.

"Get over here and face the music," Diana said with sarcastic smile. She held up a huge needle.

"Oh, boy." Willow sat in a chair and held out her arm.

"So, why are creation magics so dangerous in Tara’s condition?" Dawn asked as she scooted next to Tara. She smiled as she showed Tara the stethoscope and warmed it with her hand, then reached under the blonde’s gown and listened to her heart and lungs.

Diana waited until Dawn finished listening to Tara’s heart before answering. "Tara’s magical reserves were completely drained by her battle," she said as she capped Willow’s blood sample. "It takes huge amounts of energy to create life." Diana set the sample aside and faced Tara. "You put yourself at risk. Please be more careful in the future."

"But Willow was creating the life," Tara rationalized. "I was just, um, well…" She blushed bright red.

"How are you feeling?" Diana challenged.

"Um, well, tired," Tara admitted. "But I’m fine," she insisted.

Dawn stared at the blood pressure cuff she was using and scowled. She pumped the cuff tight again and checked her readings. She frowned and pumped the cuff up again.

"Hey…" Tara tugged her arm.

"Well?" Diana asked with a smug expression. "Dangerously low?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Dawn sighed. "Yeah, it’s 70 over 50." She took the cuff off Tara’s arm and studied her friend. "Maybe you should lie down, hmm? Maybe elevate your legs?"

"Give her a liter of saline," Diana said with a sigh. "Can you start an IV?"

"Sure," Dawn said excitedly. "This’ll be my first one on a real live person."

"Hey! She’s not a practice pin cushion!" Willow leapt to her feet and ran to Tara’s side.

"No, really, I’m checked out for IVs," Dawn swore. "I just haven’t done a real person yet. I’ve done med students. I’ve done tons of med students."

Tara raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Not ‘done them.’ I’ve given them IVs," Dawn amended. "Geez, you’re as bad as Anya." She cleared her throat. "Stop changing the subject Miss my-blood-pressure’s-so-low-it-barely-registers."

"Honey?" Willow asked.

"I’m just tired," Tara assured her lover. "And maybe a little lightheaded," she added in a whisper. She saw Willow’s entire body tense. "Willow, we should be worried about you. How do you feel?" She rested her uninjured hand on Willow’s belly.

"I’m fine," Willow said as she took Tara’s hand. "You should lie down."

"Since she brought it up, how are you feeling?" Diana asked as she moved over and pressed her hand to Willow’s forehead.

"Good. Fine," Willow said quickly.

"Have you been taking prenatal vitamins?" Diana asked. "It’s even more important for you." Diana moved to the other side of the bed, completely missing the twin guilty expressions on Willow and Tara’s faces. "I mean, at least Tara eats healthy. You eat like a bird with an eating disorder. You’re supposed to eat several times a day, Willow. Not once every few days. We need to make sure you take supplements every day."

"Um…" Tara bit her lip.

"Uh…" Willow scooted closer to Tara’s side.

"You have been taking prenatals, right?" Diana asked as she spun. "Oh, come on!" She let out a frustrated growl. "I had Tara on prenatals for three months before you guys conceived Brianna. Folic acid, remember me nagging you about folic acid?" Her eyes narrowed. "Except I would have been the one to prescribe any prenatals," she said dangerously. "Which I have not."

"Oh, boy," Dawn whispered. She finished swabbing Tara’s hand and then put the IV in with one prick of the needle. "Way easier than a hung-over med student," she said proudly.

Tara cringed, both from the needle and in anticipation of Diana’s reaction.

"Please tell me this insane decision wasn’t something you came up with at the spur of the moment," Diana said slowly as the veins on her neck stood out and throbbed.

"It seemed like a good idea," Tara said sheepishly.

Willow nodded and clung to Tara for rescue.

Diana turned and faced Dawn. "Okay, Miss Summers, tell me the first thing you learn on the maternity rotation."

"Um, haven’t really had my maternity rotation yet," Dawn admitted.

Diana glared.

"But, well, yeah, all the books say prenatals are the way to go," Dawn added quickly. She looked at Tara and Willow and frowned. "Modern women, ya’ know … on the go, not so much with the good eating habits. Gotta’ get those prenatals going as soon as possible."

"Well, is the baby in danger?" Willow asked.

"We can start you on a vitamin regime right now," Diana admitted. "Anyway, let’s get the blood results back before we get too carried away." She sighed and went to Willow’s side. "This is supposed to be a happy time. Tara seems like she came through it fine, now we just have to make sure you’re healthy."

Willow smiled and nodded.

Tara squeezed her lover’s hand and they exchanged a loving look.

"That means it’s stirrup time," Diana said with a wicked smirk.

"Oh…" Willow’s smile disappeared. "I hate stirrup time," she whined. "This is revenge for the no vitamins, isn’t it?"

Diana’s smile broadened and she pointed at the table.

Tara giggled. "Well, you’ve got nine months to get used to it."

"Get changed into a gown and I’ll have Cathy run the blood to the lab." Diana grabbed Dawn and pulled her out of the room.

*****

"Okay, how many checkups am I gonna’ need?" Willow asked as she took a bite of her salad. She sighed as she looked longing at Dawn’s bowl of ice cream.

"No ice cream," Tara said as she tapped her fork against Willow’s plate. "Eat your spinach. It’s full of vitamins."

"Hey, I let you eat anything you were craving," Willow reminded Tara.

"You’re only 17 hours pregnant, you can’t be having cravings yet." Tara scooted Willow’s plate closer. "Eat."

"I thought you were supposed to be pampering me?" Willow whined as she stared at Dawn’s ice cream. She whimpered. "One bite," she pleaded as she turned toward Tara.

"No," Tara said with a chuckle. "Besides, it’s chocolate. No caffeine." She shook her head firmly. "Maybe if you’re really good and eat all your spinach, and the grilled chicken, and the fresh carrots, I’ll let you have some vanilla for dessert. A tiny scoop." Tara frowned. "A half scoop."

"Stupid vanilla," Willow mumbled a she stabbed her salad. "What kind of flavor is that anyway?" She bit her spinach viciously and continued grumbling around the mouthful of greens. "Hey, let’s invent a new dessert … what flavor should we make it?" she asked sarcastically. "Oooh, I know," she continued grumpily. "Let’s make it milk flavored. Yum." She stabbed another bite of spinach.

Tara kissed Willow’s neck and whispered into her ear. "You can have a half scoop of chocolate, but from then on, no caffeine." She nibbled Willow’s ear.

"Yippee!" Willow turned and gave Tara a bright smile.

"I mean it," Tara warned. "No more chocolate. You made me eat that stupid carob, remember?"

"But, honey, you like carob," Willow tried.

"Nobody likes carob," Tara said grouchily.

"Mama!" Brianna yelled from across the room. She was riding on Buffy’s back, using the Slayer’s hair to steer her.

"That’s so cute," Dawn snickered.

"Next time you leave me to babysit for three hours, warn me about the hair pulling," Buffy whined.

"It wasn’t even an hour, you big baby," Willow said as she took Brianna from Buffy’s back. "Hey, sweetie, did you miss me?"

"Mommy." Brianna squeezed Willow tightly and bounced on her hip. "Aunt Fluffy strong," she said in awe of Buffy.

"Yes, sweetie," Willow giggled as she looked at Buffy. "Aunt Fluffy is strong."

"Fluffy," Dawn whispered and then burst into a fit of laughter.

"Buf-fy," the Slayer told Brianna. "Buf-fy. Like Bunny. You like bunnies, right?"

Brianna smiled and nodded.

"Can you say bunny?" Buffy asked sweetly. "Bu-nny."

"Bu-nny," Brianna enunciated carefully.

"There, ya’ see?" Buffy smiled proudly. "Now … Buf-fy."

Brianna crinkled her brow and focused on Buffy. "Fluf-fy." She turned to Willow and actually smirked as Buffy growled in frustration.

"Buf-fy. It’s easy. Who can’t say Buffy?" The Slayer sat across from Tara and sighed. "So, you get a clean bill of health?"

"You shouldn’t tease Aunt Buffy," Willow whispered. She kissed Brianna’s cheek and sat next to Tara.

"Mama’s home," Brianna said as she played with Tara’s hair.

Tara turned and kissed Brianna’s fingers.

"Well?" Buffy asked Dawn. "Is she okay, doctor Summers? I mean … soon to be doctor Summers?"

"Patient privilege," Dawn said with a yawn. "I can’t tell you squat."

"Well?" Buffy asked Tara.

"I’m tired but fine," Tara said as she continued playing with Brianna’s hands. She gently nipped Brianna’s fingers and laughed when her daughter squealed. "Mama’s just fine," she told her child. She turned her head and smiled cryptically at Buffy. "Ask Willow how she is," Tara suggested sweetly.

"Willow?" Buffy turned toward her friend. "Are you sick?"

"No…" Willow smiled smugly.

"Then what?" Buffy asked.

Willow looked to Tara and smiled shyly. She bit her lip and nodded for the blonde to speak.

"She’s not sick, and I’m gonna’ make sure it stays that way," Tara said proudly. She started to elaborate, then froze as she saw Brent enter the room. She watched the elder limp across the vast hall, and each weary step told Tara that whatever Brent had done to the members of the Keeper’s forces, it had cost her dearly.

"Well?" Buffy asked impatiently. "Come on, there has to be more than that." She crinkled her brow and turned so she could see why Tara was staring. "Oh…"

"Lady Tara, it’s good to see you well. You looked exhausted last night," Brent said as she stopped at the side of the table and dipped her head. She turned to Willow. "I gave you a promise, Lady Willow. Can we speak now?"

Willow swallowed. She suddenly regretted making Brent promise to tell her what the guardian did. She looked around the vast hall. It was unusually quiet. The normally rowdy guardians were not chatting and bantering. They merely ate quietly, though a few spoke in hushed tones.

"Perhaps we should go to my office?" Brent suggested.

Willow took Tara’s hand and stood, pulling her lover up with her. "Okay, let’s go."

"Wait, is this about the top-secret mission?" Buffy jumped to her feet. "I wanna’ hear about the big top-secret mission," she whined.

Brent paused and looked to Tara for her approval.

Tara nodded.

"I’ll take Brianna," Dawn offered. She took the child and kissed her cheek. "Hey, squirt, wanna’ go play Lacrosse?"

"Yeah!" Brianna’s face lit up and she nodded excitedly. She loved watching the guardians play the fast paced sport, and she’d run off with the sticks any time one was left unattended.

"No sticks," Willow warned.

"Willow," Dawn whined, sounding just like Buffy.

"Last time she broke the windshield out of Brigan’s car," Willow pointed out.

"No sticks," Willow repeated.

"Crosse," Brianna told her mother. The young girl was very serious about the sport and insisted Willow used the correct terms. It was a habit she had learned with her sacred tools. Brent had taught the child to only use the correct names for her tools.

"No crosses," Dawn told Brianna. She carried her young charge away, bouncing her on one hip.

"Peas?" Brianna asked as she batted her eyelashes and gave Dawn a puppy dog look that could melt the coldest of hearts.

Dawn looked over her shoulder and then whispered to Brianna. "Okay, but stay away from the cars, missy."

Brianna smiled proudly and hugged Dawn.

"Shall we?" Brent asked quietly.

Tara pulled Willow closer and the small group walked out of the hall without another word.

"Where did you go?" Willow asked as soon as the door to Brent’s office closed.

Brent went to her desk and leaned against it facing the young women. "As soon as Tara was safe, all of the guardians had to enact a blood payment," she said quietly.

Tara’s face paled. She leaned against Willow, relaxing slightly when the redhead picked up her wrist and cradled the cast. Tara met Willow’s gaze and she smiled, thanking her lover for the physical and emotional support.

"What exactly does that mean?" Willow asked. "Did the Imbolc guard attack the Keeper’s forces?"

"The daughters of the flame enacted the three fold law," Brent said bluntly.

"The daughters of the flame?" Tara asked. "So everyone here took revenge?" Tara asked shakily. She hated living in fear of the Keeper, but she didn’t want anyone else at risk.

"My Lad—" Brent paused, then took a deep breath. She knew that Tara’s gentle soul would be troubled by the news she was about to receive. "Lady Tara," she said as she pushed away from the desk and went to the blonde witch’s side. "All the daughters of the flame took part, from every sanctuary, save those safeguarding your health and Lady Willow’s, as well as the ones who were too young or too old."

"W-what did you do?" Tara asked.

Buffy took a step back. She was calculating the number of guardians in the hundreds of sanctuaries around the world. She realized that the number of women who claimed the blood payment must have been in the thousands.

"We went to all of the thirteen Keeper’s retreats," Brent said solemnly. "And we took our threefold payment at each."

"What did you do? Tara asked again, this time her voice steady and sure.

"Three guardians were killed when you were attacked," Brent said. "We took that blood back times three…"

"At each retreat?" Willow asked in a shocked whisper.

Brent dipped her head in acknowledgment. "And we took blood payment from any who had prior knowledge of the attack," Brent added.

"How many more?" Tara asked. She gripped Willow with her uninjured hand.

"Twelve knew of the attack, in addition to the seventeen who actually participated in the kidnapping." Brent’s eyes narrowed. "They will not plan an attack on you or anyone else ever again."

"Twelve, seventeen…" Willow furrowed her brow as she calculated the numbers. "Nine at thirteen retreats…" She shivered. "Dear goddess, that’s…"

"One hundred and forty-six." Tara’s voice cracked. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "And?" she asked. She knew that the death of the guardians had to be avenged, but it was still a shock to hear the number of deaths involved. She also knew that any harm to her would be avenged as well.

Buffy’s eyes widened. ‘When it comes to Tara, Brent means business,’ she thought as she made a mental note to never piss off the elder.

"Brigan has access to all of the Witches’ Committee computers," Brent said. "From the time when we first copied their files."

Willow backed up and guided Tara into a chair. She sat on the arm of the chair and draped an arm over Tara’s shoulders.

"We know every person who has any connection with the Keepers," Brent said darkly. "We know every person who serves their forces."

"And what did you do?" Tara asked again.

"My Lady, they hurt you." Brent’s voice shook as she used the term of endearment. She knelt in front of the blonde and rested both hands on Tara’s knees. "They broke your arm." Brent rested a hand reverently on Tara’s injured wrist. She raised her hand and traced the aching wound on the side of Tara’s head. "They marred your skin with a three inch gash." Her jaw trembled with rage at the thought. "They dared harm you." Her hand was shaking as she lowered it to Tara’s leg. "It is a mistake they will not make again." She gave Tara’s knee a gentle squeeze.

"Brent," Tara said gently. She cupped the elder’s chin in her uninjured hand. "I’m okay," she promised.

Brent nodded and cleared her throat. "Yes, but payment was required."

Buffy realized that Brent’s anger was personal. It was obvious the elder loved Tara deeply, and not just as a guardian protecting her charge. Brent looked at Tara as if she were looking at her own child, her own child who had been brutally attacked.

"We repaid them in full," Brent swore. "Threefold as Brigit requires." She looked into Willow’s eyes and then back to Tara. "I want them to understand our dedication long before Miss Brianna is ever called to carry the mantle."

"Repaid in full … how?" Willow asked. She hoped whatever payment Brent demanded was enough to keep the rest of the Keeper’s forces from ever hurting Tara again, and she hoped the memory was grim enough to make them leave Brianna alone forever.

"Each one now carries a cut on their head," Brent said. She clenched her fist remembering slicing several of the Keeper’s people herself. "A gash three times your injury." Brent traced Tara’s eyebrow even as the blonde wisp of hair rose in shock. "We cut them from the edge of the brow and then let our blades take nine inches in payment." She looked into Tara’s eyes. "We cast a spell so they can never cover the scar by magic or by surgery. If any approach you, their scar will announce them."

"A cut?" Tara took a deep breath. She had expected something more … horrific. She relaxed slightly. A cut was painful but survivable, and the scar would remind them to leave Brianna alone even when she was an adult.

"They also broke your arm," Brent reminded Tara again. She stared at the cast, the pain caused by seeing Tara’s injury evident in her pale eyes.

"You broke their arm?" Willow asked in a tiny voice. "All of the Keeper’s?"

"Lady Tara’s limb was broken," Brent clarified. "We took a threefold payment."

"Holy shit!" Buffy said as she stumbled over to the wall and collapsed against it. "How do you break three arms?"

"Both arms and a leg," Brent said. She stood and cracked her knuckles. "Every person who serves the Keepers paid the price. They will remember the wrath of Brigit."

"How many?" Tara asked. "How many serve the Keepers?"

"Before they attacked you?" Brent asked. "They had 272." Her eyes darkened. "As of today they number 126." She walked to the wall and picked up a small statue of Brigit. "We made it clear that if they approach you, for any reason, to cause harm or to merely speak to you, we will see that there are no Keepers ever again."

‘Note to self,’ Buffy thought grimly. ‘Never … piss off Brent and never, ever think of hurting one hair on Tara’s head.’

Tara took a deep breath and sighed. Her head was throbbing and she wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for a week. She rubbed the side of her face and winced when she touched the swollen area near her stitches.

"Honey, you should rest," Willow said as concern flooded her body.

"So should you," Tara replied with a tender smile. She looked down at Brent and took the elder’s hand. "You did what you had to. I’m sorry so many died, but I don’t want to think about death right now." She squeezed Brent’s hand and smiled. "Willow and I are having another baby."

Fear covered Brent’s face. "My Lady, is the child all right?" She pressed her hand on Tara’s belly. "Did you tell the doctors who examined you? Did those bastards strike you in the belly?" she gasped. "Emily said she gave you herbs. Did you tell her?" She stood and rushed to her bookshelf, trying to remember which herbs Emily had mentioned. "Many herbs can damage an unborn child."

Tara smiled and nodded toward Willow.

"Brent, Tara’s not the one who’s pregnant," Willow said as she went to the nervous elder’s side. "I am," she said as she wrapped an arm around Brent’s shoulder.

The elder beamed proudly and rested her palm on Willow’s belly. "Blessed be," she whispered.

Buffy stared at Willow. "And this changed since three days ago?" She remembered Willow specifically saying neither witch was currently pregnant.

"What do you mean?" Brent asked the Slayer. Her hand was still on Willow’s tummy.

"We conceived her last night," Tara said as she blushed.

"Go, Willow," Buffy said with a snicker. "Way to welcome your gal home."

Brent slowly removed her hand and backed over to her desk. Her proud smile was gone. She looked back and forth between the two witches. Her eyes finally came to rest on Tara and she studied the blonde as she walked back over to her. "Have you seen Diana?" she asked in a concerned tone. She reached out as if to caress Tara’s cheek, but instead dipped her fingers under the blonde’s jaw and checked her pulse.

"Yes," Tara said as soon as Brent was satisfied that Tara’s pulse was strong.

"And is she furious?" Brent asked as she turned and looked at Willow.

"Furious is putting it mildly." Willow went back to Tara’s side sat on the arm of the chair.

Buffy looked like a drunken frat boy who had just been asked to explain the theory of relativity. "Why would she be mad?"

"The spell is quite taxing," Brent told Buffy. "And in Tara’s condition it put her at considerable risk." She gave both young witches a scathing glare.

"But we’re fine," Tara insisted. She smiled and shrugged. "We’re good."

"You were lucky," Brent corrected. She shook her head. "That spell should only be done when you are both healthy and rested, and if you ever try it again when one of you is isn’t healthy, I will put you both over my knee and take a switch to your behinds."

"Yes, ma’am," Tara said as she looked at the floor. She felt like her mother had just chastised her.

"We won’t," Willow promised. She realized that Brent’s gentle concern was much more disconcerting that Diana’s tirade. Willow could get angry with Diana, but Brent’s loving concern left Willow feeling ashamed and guilty for putting Tara at risk.

"So…" Brent let out a breath and looked at Willow. "We should get to work on making one of the guest rooms into a nursery," she suggested. "Or perhaps you can use Miss Brianna’s room for the baby and we can convert one of the guest rooms into a new room for her?"

"I can’t wait." Tara smiled and pressed her hand to Willow’s belly. "I love you," she whispered as she kissed the redhead.

Willow cupped Tara’s cheek and brought the blonde closer and tenderly kissed her. "I love you too," she whispered as she pressed her forehead to Tara’s.

"So, you gonna’ let doctor Dawnie deliver this mini-wiccan?" Buffy asked.

"She’s not a doctor yet," Tara said protectively. "Maybe after Dawn delivers a couple hundred babies she can help."

"Poor Dawn," Buffy said forlornly. "She’ll be crushed."

"Willow is not a practice case," Tara said. There was joking tone as she rolled her eyes, but beneath that was genuine concern.

"But she can be there," Willow offered. "Unless she chickens out like she did with Brianna." She smiled remembering Dawn’s hasty retreat during Brianna’s birth.

"Let’s go ask her," Tara suggested. She stood and helped Willow stand next to her.

"You should tell Emily," Brent suggested. "She’ll be thrilled. She’s down at the Lacrosse field."

"She likes to watch Lacrosse?" Willow asked. She couldn’t wait to meet the feisty mage.

"Um, no." Brent chuckled. "She’s teaching the girls a few new moves."

"The ninety year old lady who rescued Tara is playing Lacrosse?" Buffy asked. "This I gotta’ see."

"She’s probably kicking their butts," Tara said as she guided Willow toward the door.

"Yes, well, it seems Emily spent some time at several of the sanctuaries during World War Two. She organized witches against the Germans and the Italians." Brent closed her office door and hurried so she could walk alongside Tara. "She was something of a wild woman on the Lacrosse field."

"You should see her behind the wheel." Tara giggled and gave Willow a loving squeeze. "And I thought Buffy was scary."

"Hey!" the Slayer protested, but she smiled. She couldn’t wait to meet Emily.

Several minutes later, the group paused at the edge of the Lacrosse field.

"Oh … my … god…" Willow said as she stared at the unfolding scene. "That woman is in her nineties?"

"Yep," Tara said with a giggle. She watched as Emily stood at center field next to a pile of Lacrosse balls. Brianna was standing in front of the mage, encircled by Emily’s arms. Brianna was holding a crosse, with Emily’s sure and steady hands guiding her movements. They were flinging the balls several dozen yards at the goal. Most were hitting the target dead on.

Brianna laughed as another shot hit its mark, flying past a young guardian trying to defend the goal. Brianna turned, feeling the presence of her mothers and grinned. "Mama, look!" she squealed. "I got goal!"

"You sure did," Tara said proudly.

"Several of them," Willow noticed.

"She’s being fully supervised," Dawn said quickly. "With the crosse, I mean." She bit her lip. "And the cars are way over there," she added.

"It’s okay, Dawnie." Tara rolled her eyes. "Emily, I see you’ve met my daughter." She walked toward the white haired mage. "Now, I’d like to introduce my soul mate." She turned and gave Willow a loving look. "This is Willow." She nodded toward the mage. "Honey, this is Emily."

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Willow." Emily tossed the crosse to the ground and scooped up Brianna. "You have quite a future athlete here."

"Thank you," Willow said sincerely. "I can’t ever repay you for all you’ve done."

"There is no need," Emily said honestly. "When the goddess delivers someone to your door, you help them without question. More oft than not, that person is family." Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Tara. "Isn’t that right, sister Tara?"

Tara blushed and looked down at the grass.

"Fluffy!" Brianna squealed.

Buffy groaned and shook her head. She looked at her young niece and smiled. "And who is that holding you?"

"Emily," Brianna said clearly.

Buffy smiled and sighed in frustration. "Emily, nice to meet you." She moved closer and her posture straightened. "Thank you for helping Tara," she said seriously. "Now, if you can just teach my niece to say ‘Buffy,’ you’ll have my undying gratitude."

"Some things are beyond even my skill," Emily said solemnly. She kissed Brianna’s temple and smirked. She had no doubt the intelligent child could pronounce Buffy’s name. She’d already seen Brianna’s wicked sense of humor at work, and she was certain Buffy was seeing it firsthand.

Buffy smiled at Dawn. "I know something you don’t," she taunted. The Slayer had no clue that Dawn had been present when Diana gave Willow her pregnancy exam. She assumed Dawn would have left for any stirrup exams.

"What?" Dawn whined.

Buffy turned to Willow.

Diana interrupted before Willow could answer. "We need to talk to you two," the doctor said as she gripped Cassie’s hand. She and the seer had come up behind the others from across the field.

"Why?" Willow turned and smiled when she saw Diana’s partner. "Hey, Cass, how are you?"

"Fine," Cassie said. She looked at Brianna and held out her hands.

"Cassandra!" Brianna bounced as she reached for the beautiful seer.

"Hi, cute stuff." Cassie took Brianna and spun her around in a circle.

"She can say ‘Cassandra’ but she can’t say ‘Buffy’?" The Slayer let out a huff of air. "What the hell?"

"She can say the important names," Cassie said with a smile. She looked at Willow and tilted her head to one side. After a moment she looked over at Diana and caught her eyes.

"Willow, Tara, can we talk?" Diana asked.

"Is everything okay?" Tara asked.

"I’ll take the squirt," Dawn said as she reached for Brianna. "Come’re you."

"Doctor Dawnie," Brianna said seriously. She dug in Dawn’s pocket until she found a penlight and flipped it on. She pointed it at Buffy. "Look Aunt Fluffy."

Buffy smiled sweetly. "Very nice."

Emily snickered. She’d met Diana and Cassie earlier and liked them both immediately. She saw the concern in Cassie’s eyes and her own smile faded.

Tara was getting nervous. As soon as she and Willow walked a short distance from the others she turned toward Diana. "What is it?"

"Is Tara sick?" Willow asked.

"I got the blood work back," Diana said quietly.

"And?" Tara wrapped both arms around Willow from behind. She held the cast awkwardly so it wouldn’t bump Willow’s belly.

"What is it?" Willow asked. She leaned into Tara for support.

"You’re not pregnant," Diana said. "I’m so sorry." She stepped closer. "But there’s nothing wrong with either of you and you can try again as soon as you want to."

"If there’s nothing wrong, how come I’m not pregnant?" Willow asked. Tears filled her green eyes and she wiped her nose and sniffled.

"There’s as much biology as there is magic in making a child," Cassie explained. "The time just wasn’t right."

"But I floated," Willow said in a tiny voice.

"Well, you two have a strong connection. That tends to make floating," Dianna pointed out. "I think after all Tara’s been through, things just weren’t right."

"So it’s my fault?" Tara asked hollowly.

"There’s no fault," Dianna clarified. "Sweetie, you’re exhausted. Look at you." She pointed at her. "Take a few months and let your arm and your head heal. Get those stitches out and relax."

"And I can take those prenatals," Willow said as she spun in Tara’s arms. She could feel Tara’s grief. "I’ll be healthy diet gal." She wiped the tears from Tara’s cheeks. "It’ll be okay," she promised.

Tara looked down at the ground.

"Hey…" Willow lifted Tara’s chin. "We wanted Brianna to be a little older before our next baby anyway, right?" She smiled at her lover.

"Yeah," Tara admitted.

"And this means you get to chase me away from chocolate for a few extra months," Willow added. "That’s always fun, right?"

"Yeah." Tara allowed a tiny smile and nodded.

"At least six months," Diana interjected. "I want Willow on a healthy diet for six months before you guys get pregnant."

Willow sighed and rolled her eyes.

"And I want you eating lots of iron," Diana continued. "You’ve been anemic at every checkup I given you."

"Six months?" Tara’s expression was crestfallen.

"Hey, that’s plenty of time so we can plan a private, naked mommy weekend and do this conception thing right," Willow whispered as she leaned into Tara’s embrace. "Candles and the hot tubs, and we can practice that new feminism of yours…"

Tara blushed and hugged Willow, and her spirits beginning to rise. "Yeah," she said with a genuine smile.

"I know it’s disappointing, but you’re both healthy," Diana reiterated. "Trust me, pretty soon, you’ll be out to here wondering why you rushed this." She held her hands in front of her belly.

Willow raised both eyebrows.

"Hey, I call ‘em like I see ‘em," Diana insisted. "Bone structure, sweetie. Tara has nice wide hips. She carried Brianna spread evenly … but you?" Diana shook her head. "You’re gonna carry that baby completely in front. That kid’s gonna come around corners ten minutes before you do."

"Well, great," Willow said grouchily. "Now I have to think about that from now on."

"It’ll be fine," Tara said as she hugged Willow again. "I mean, how big could you possibly get?"

Willow smiled and nodded. She had no idea how right Diana was, and she had no idea how miserable she would be when her belly became her biggest feature.

End chapter four

Love Tara? Hate what they did to her and Willow on Buffy? Let the ME, UPN and Fox know how you feel. Please take a few minutes to send an email and let the people at Buffy the Vampire Slayer how you feel. Write every week if you feel like it. They need to know we still miss Tara and want her back. I would consider it a personal favor. Thanks!