DISCLAIMER: All hail Joss Whedon, UPN, the WB, FOX, Mutant Enemy and 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. Theirs, not mine. AUTHOR'S NOTE: The poem quoted is “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost. Tara was so beautiful in her sleep. Golden hair every which way on the pillow, mouth slightly open, cheeks rosy. I gently kissed her lips, and she smiled. “Spike,” she said sleepily. I showered her neck with tiny kisses. She turned to me, her wide blue eyes clear and bright. “Good morning, pet.” I smiled at her. She pressed my lips to hers, and I was enveloped once again in her taste, cloves and honey.  Her hands brushed down my back, and her touch was so gentle, so light. Classical music pealed loudly through the room. I sank back against the pillows as she leaned forward and shut off her alarm. “I have to get up now,” she explained as she turned back towards me. “Do you have to?” I asked regretfully. I ran my hand down her neck, and she caught her breath. “I have to,” she said softly. She kissed me swiftly on the forehead and got out of bed. “I have a class.” She turned and smiled at me as she pulled on her robe. “Do you want to have breakfast with me?” Shortly after, I sat across from Tara.  She wore red today to match the ruby pendant that hung around her neck.  Carefully she stirred granola into a bowl of yogurt. “I don’t know how you can eat that crap,” I commented. “It tastes rancid.” “You’re a little judgmental for a guy who drinks blood,” she said in a low voice. “I have great taste,” I replied. “Take this here.” I held up my bowl of Captain Crunch. “This is a bloody brilliant breakfast.” “It has no nutritional value. It’s empty calories, nothing but sugar and starch.” “But it’s good. It bursts on your tongue.” I held up a spoonful to her mouth. “Come on, eat this.” She shook her head. “I have my yogurt.” “Live a little, Wicca.” She rolled her eyes and opened her mouth. I fed her the cereal and she ate tentatively. “It’s really good.” She munched thoughtfully. “Yummy.” She looked so adorable; I just had to kiss her. I leaned across the table and brought her lips to mine. I slid my tongue in her mouth and she whimpered. “Get a room!” someone yelled. We turned and looked around. A good number of the people in the cafeteria stared at us. Flustered, Tara stood up abruptly. “Where are you going, pet?” I grabbed her hand. “I-I-I’m going to go dig a hole and bury myself in it,” she said, her face red. “They’re just jealous,” I said soothingly as I pulled her back down. She took a few more bites of yogurt, and then looked at me thoughtfully. “Can I eat the rest of that?” she asked, as she gestured to my cereal. “So what’s next on your schedule?” I asked her as we walked through the tunnel underneath UC Sunnydale. “I have Art History and then Ceramics.” She took my hand and interlaced her fingers with mine.  “I’ll be done by one o’clock.” She looked at me hesitantly. “Do you want to meet me at my crypt later?” I asked her. “I just sit around all day watching the telly.” “Why don’t you stay in my dorm? You can watch the big TV in the lounge. And there’s always guys hanging out playing pool or ping-pong.” She smiled shyly at me. “And we could do something after I got back.” “Sounds good.” And it did. I opened the door to the basement in Sullivan Hall for her. “Stay out of trouble,” she said, as she handed me her room key and pecked my cheek. Her full skirt fluttered around her legs as she walked away. She peeked over her shoulder and smiled when she saw that I was watching her. I made my way back to her dorm and went to the lounge. It held several couches and a huge television set. A dozen girls were gathered around watching a talk show. They turned and looked at me curiously when I came in.  “Hello,” I said. I plopped down on a couch and stretched out my legs. “Are you Tara’s boyfriend?” asked a pudgy blonde in a pink sweat suit. “I saw you guys in the cafeteria.” “I’m Spike,” I said with a smile. “Isn’t she, you know, gay?” asked a curvy brunette. Another girl elbowed her in the ribs. We watched several lame shows, and made fun of the people on them. The blonde girl shared her doughnuts and Cokes with me.

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