invisiblecompany

Author: watson
Started: 18 May 2005
Completed: 22 May 2005
Rating: R

Notes: A response to the JustSkipIt Special challenge on Pens:

• You must use the titles from at least FOUR of JustSkipIt's fics -- any 4 of your choice (completed or WIP are up for grabs)
• Willow and Tara must switch places for at least one day. This can be from magical means or intentional. Any smut may NOT happen while they are switched
• Willow and Tara must use cell phones to have a conference call with another Scooby
• Willow and Tara must have a conflict that only Buffy can resolve. This conflict can be between themselves or come from an outside source

Note to Self: The lesson of this challenge is to make sure your fic titles are short and easy to incorporate into future challenges, on the off-chance that you one day attain the stature that Debra enjoys.

*****

"... so I'm there every chance I get, I've managed to try everything at least twice now. They have this green aloe vera yogurt drink that tastes better than it sounds, and strange sounding energy drinks, I like the roast coffee, it's not as good as Mrs George's, but we don't have time to go to the canteen, besides it's free," the voice on the other side of the phone line took a breather before continuing, "I feel so environmentally unfriendly, it's all in paper cups and we have to use a cover cos, quote, spillages damage the carpets, unquote, and the cups are so tiny. I wish you were here."

"I wish I were there too, Sweetie," Tara sighed as she absorbed the stream of narrative and picked up the abrupt change at the end. I can listen to her read a book of plant names and I'll be happy. "Did they like your lecture?"

Willow sighed. "Honestly, all I saw was a sea of inscrutable faces. I can't tell if they understood me or if I was too boring or if the subject was way over their heads. They nod a lot and they always say please. The series of monographs that Dr Hudson and I wrote just sat there on the lecture table, no one asked any questions at the end, just polite clapping," Willow complained.

"I think it's part of their nature," Tara tried to explain. "I read that there are at least four levels of politeness in the Japanese language, with layers of subtlety added on top. Speaking out is not something they are comfortable with."

"I guess, but it would have been nice to be, I don't know, appreciated, acknowledged even," Willow sighed.

"I'll show you my undying appreciation when you come home," Tara promised.

"Really?"

"Of course, my darling."

"Anything I want?"

"Anything."

"Yay! Oh, did the couch arrive in the end?" Willow asked, changing topics. Otherwise we'd spend the whole call making goo-ga noises at each other and I miss her so much, I think I'm gonna have to buy some gloves to keep her scent on my hands, she thought as she leant back against the headboard.

"— kept apologizing, though it wasn't his fault," Willow only managed to catch the last part of Tara's answer.

Shit, so do we have the new couch or not. "That's great," she mumbled.

"Your mind was someplace else," Tara accused.

Busted. May be if I stay quiet. Or not. "I was thinking of you," Willow backpedaled.

"You were thinking of me in the middle of talking with me, should I be concerned or jealous?"

"Hmmm."

"Will."

Beat.

"Will."

Silence.

"WILLOW!"

"Honey?" Willow's voice came back on sheepishly.

"I'm hanging up now," the irritation could be heard clearly across the Pacific.

"Oh no, Tara, please. I'm sorry, I'll stop fantasizing about you," Willow blurted. She's annoyed at me and I come out with that? Way to go Rosenberg.

"I should be angry. I am angry. You need punishment," Tara said with a distinctively firm voice.

Oh, good save! "Yes Tara," Willow responded immediately.

"Your fantasy," Tara started.

"Yes Tara," Willow responded again.

"Describe it," Tara instructed.

"Um, it wasn't a fantasy per se, I was thinking I need to buy a pair of gloves tomorrow morning," Willow replied.

"Gloves," Tara deadpanned.

"Yes, cos I don't want to lose your scent on my fingers," Willow said.

"My scent?" Tara felt like repeat-o girl.

"Yes, I love bringing my hands to my nose and catching the most beautiful smell on earth," Willow smiled at the sense-memory. "But it's been two days, and ..." she trailed off.

"What kind?"

"Eh?"

"What kind of gloves were you thinking of buying?"

"Those delicate cotton crochet ones that you see Japanese gentlewomen wear, or may be the silk ones that go all the way up to your elbows," Willow described dreamily.

"Get them. Tomorrow."

"Which one?"

"Either one."

"Okay."

"You think gloves might help? You know, keep the scent," Tara asked.

"Scientific basis, no. Makes me feel better, may be," Willow confessed.

"We can't have that," Tara said.

"Have what? Me feeling better?" Willow started to pout.

"No, no. No scent on your fingers, can't have that," Tara declared.

"When I come back I'm gonna do research on how to have it bottled, you know, like those lavender calming beads you bought at the aromatherapy shop, only it'll be Tara's Secret Essence," Willow said.

"Or Willow's Sweet Spice," Tara added.

They broke off in companionable silence, each with their own thoughts.

"We should market that," Willow said cheekily.

"Will!"

"Come on, they sell pheromone oils on the internet. I bet this will sell even better," Willow continued.

"You're such a perv, Will," Tara admonished.

"I bet our room's a Smutaholics' Heaven. Or, the Graceland of Sensuous Intoxication. Oh, oh, oh, now I get it," sounds of Willow slapping herself on her forehead. "That's why Buffy looked at us funny at breakfast when we stayed over last time."

"We stayed with Buffy and Dawn plenty of times before. And we used to live with them, she never looked at us funny," Tara said.

"Well when we lived there, she was probably used to it," Willow said.

"Used to what exactly?" Tara asked, even though she had a good idea what Willow was talking about. Mind in gutter much, Red.

"The musk of Witchy Lovin', you know, um, us," Willow whispered conspirationally.

"So why would she be looking at us funny? We've been together 6 years, she knows what we get up to in the bedroom," Tara pointed out. And other places.

"But she's the Slayer," Willow replied.

"And?"

"Slayer senses. Enhanced smell power."

"I don't think so, otherwise she'd be overwhelmed by it all the time. Imagine following vamps through the sewers, she'd be too busy gagging."

"May be she learnt to tone it down, or her smell is not as enhanced as her hearing or sight, but I still think she can outsmell a normal human."

"You make her sound like a dog."

"Hey! Best friend here, not tryin' to say she's a dog, it's just, everything about the slayer is enhanced, that must include smell, cos it's a vital part of hunting and attacking."

"Really, Will, I have to disagree with you on this. She has enough enhanced powers to spare. And, and, why are we wasting very expensive overseas call charges discussing whether Buffy can smell our lovemaking? In any case, we can talk about it till the cows come home, and still have no answer."

"We could ask her."

"Willow Rosenberg, if you think I'm going to participate in that conversation, you have something coming."

"Tara, it's Buffy. She's seen and heard us in all sorts of compromising situations before. This is gonna bug me all night, I can't sleep and I already can't sleep cos you're not here," Willow tried her puppy dog plea, not as successful because Tara couldn't see the hangdog expression, though she heard it coming through loud and clear.

"Why are you so anxious to know?" Tara asked, trying to turn tables on her stubborn redhead.

"It's part of knowing the strengths and short-comings of the Slayer. I'm sure Giles has researched and documented all of Buffy's powers, may be we can ask him instead?" Willow asked, knowing full well Tara's reaction.

"NO! I'm putting my foot down on this. No asking Mr Giles." Tara, Tara I know you so well.

Willow dragged the suspense out for 2 seconds more than necessary. "Sooo, let's ask Buffy shall we," she said slowly.

"Fine. But this is best friend stuff, I don't need to get involved."

"Ah my love, my beautiful love, remember the part where I said it'll bug me all night and I can't sleep properly and be all scholarly for tomorrow's lectures?" Willow would have batted her eyelids if she was sure Tara was there to see them.

"Then call her after, she'll be up already."

"Nuh uh, we're calling her together."

Tara squirmed. "What?"

"Call her together, conference her in."

"Now?"

"Now."

"Can we do that?"

"That's why I got everyone these spanking new cellphones."

"I thought that was to make patrolling and fighting this year's Big Bad easier."

"That, plus the fact that it has more functions that we'll need, including one touch teleconferencing."

"Oh."

"Can you do it?"

"You know these things better than me, why don't you do it?" Tara was getting a little annoyed now. If Willow wanted to continue with this distraction, she was willing to sit back and watch the fireworks, but now she had to be the one to call Buffy?

"Because if I call, it'll count as an overseas call. Just press star then Buffy's number then star again when she answers."

Tara sighed inwardly. "Alright, but you do the talking," she insisted.

"Okay."

Tara dialed as instructed. Brrr, brrr. Brrr, brrr. Brrr, brrr. Oh good, no answer. Just as she was about to give up and report to Willow, Buffy picked up.

"Hey Tara," the Slayer greeted.

"Hi Buffy, hold on a sec, I'll try to connect Will."

Static.

"Hello?"

"Will?"

"Hi Buffy."

"What's up, you're in Tokyo, right? On your lecture tour thing?"

"Yeah."

"What time is it?"

"It's 12-something at night."

"Something wrong? Giant Earth-crushing robots? Attack of the Hello Kitties?"

"Oh? No, nothing. Just talking to Tara."

"And you thought of me, wow, thanks, I'm touched."

"We always think of you, Buffy," that was Tara.

"Of course! You and Dawn are always on our minds. But hey listen, Buff, Tara and I, well, we were talking," Willow started. "And, um, well, we have a question."

"A question for me?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, that only you can answer."

Beat.

"So ... what's the question?"

"Well ..." Willow voice trailed off again.

Silence.

"I'm sensing hesitation here, Will."

"Well, it's kinda hard to ask. Well, not hard as such because it's essentially a simple question but I don't know how to ask it in a non-provocative way," Willow paused. "So, now, our question is, it's about Slayer powers. You know, you can throw a stake into a vamp's heart from 100 yards away, you can hear a cry for help inside a building when you're still outside, and you have super reflexes and fast healing ..."

"Yes, for more years than I care to remember."

"But can you, can you ... can you smell?"

"Is this a trick question?" Buffy asked, puzzled.

"No, we were just talking about smells, and we wanted to — Tara, a little help?"

"What Willow is asking, Buffy, is whether your Slayer powers extend to smell. So may be you can smell the blood from a vamp from far away, or if you get overpowered by the garbage smell when you go down to the sewers," Tara interjected, sensing that Willow was going to either go into babble mode or go completely off into an Escher-like speech pattern.

"I don't think so," Buffy pondered. "I can smell pancakes cooking in the kitchen from my room, especially if Tara is making them, but Dawn seems to smell your pancakes before anyone else. I can sense the presence of vampires, but I don't smell them first. And when I go into the sewers I just think 'ewww' and try to get out pronto."

"I would have thought you have increased smelling, I can't believe Giles has never tested it," Willow mused.

"I don't think I want to smell vamps more than I do already, do you know most of them totally stink? Fledges smell of soil and rot, most of them never shower, and their breath, eeeek, total yucksville," Buffy shuddered.

"Sorry for the bad mental image," they laughed.

"I can't believe you called me just to ask about that. You know what I think? I bet you two were talking about other things, things that will shock Giles into orbit. You two give out this impression that you're so innocent, but you not," Buffy teased.

"Buffy!" two voices exclaimed at the same time.

"I'm teasing. I'll let you two get it on now, when are you coming home Will?"

"Saturday."

"Okay. Listen I gotta go, Dawn is hovering near the weapons chest again. Be seeing you."

"Bye," the best friends bid each other goodbye.

"Do you have to get up?" Willow asked gently, after Buffy rang off.

"Hmmm, don't want to. Can I stay in the bed until you come back?" Tara grumbled as she stretched.

"What about food, bathroom breaks?" Willow asked with mock concern.

"You'll just have to come back quickly and rescue me before I wilt away," Tara breathed.

"I'll be back as soon as the conference is over. Believe me, if I can teleport myself into our bed right now, I'd do it in a second," Willow said.

"Are you in bed yet?" Tara asked suddenly.

"Yes."

"What are you wearing?"

"My 'Your Sunnydale High School: Days are Severely Numbered' T-shirt."

"Take it off," Tara implored.

"Only if you do the same," Willow countered.

"Okay."

Rustling of clothing slipping off skin.

"All of it," Willow again.

"Yes."

"Are your hands free? You have the headset on?"

"Yes."

"I can feel you."

"I want you, Will."

"I love you, Tara."

"I want to try the spell."

"I was just thinking the same thing."

"Do you think it'll work?"

"We tested, didn't we?"

"Will, we tested with you in the next room, not thousands of miles away."

"Don't think distance is an issue. We won't know till we try. Do you want to try?"

Oh yes. Willow heard Tara's affirmation inside her head.

It was a spell of synchronicity, unity and balance. Willow uttered the words that brought them out of their bodies. Tara wove the patterns that united their essences. There, on that almost dream-like world created by their spell, they were together in more than one level.

Words, feelings, senses, these mortal expressions were left behind with their physical bodies. It was as if they were a merged entity floating and falling as their joint pleasure surged and swelled.

"Do you want to be inside me, to have my scent permeate to your skin, to touch me, to be me?" Tara asked.

"Yes," Willow hissed as she felt her insides clench, her climax building from somewhere that would correspond to the tip of her toes, then spreading outwards, racing through her body. No, it was their body, their being.

Together they exploded. On that other plane of existence where sensations moved faster than jetstream, where feelings had color and where touches were like the sun and the moon and the wind and the rain. Their screams of "I am yours and you are mine" in a heartbeat turned into "I am you and you are me."

And then they were complete, fulfilled. One.

Gently, they came back into the physical plane.

The last time they tried the spell, it took a few minutes to catch their breaths and for physical sensations to return. It felt different this time.

"Honey," Willow managed to croak out, her throat felt thick. Then she frowned. I sound funny. "Tara?"

She tried to move, to open her eyes, everything felt so heavy. "Tara?" she tried again.

"Ah," a faint groan.

"Oh thank god, are you alright?" I definitely sound different.

"Feel weird," came the reply. She sounds different too.

Gradually movement returned and Willow tentatively opened her eyes to grab the comforter from the foot of the bed, which she then wrapped around herself to wait for the icky sensations to settle down.

It took a full five seconds before it hit her like a ton of bricks.

"What the hell?!" she gasped and sat up. She cast her eyes round at the familiar surroundings — their comforter, their bed, their room, their house. This meant Tara was ...

"Tara? Can you hear me?" she asked, panicked.

All she heard was a whimper.

"Honey, don't panic, can you open your eyes? Can you see?" she said in as comforting a voice as she can muster.

"Yes. What's happening?" Tara said in a small voice.

"I think I know. Are you on a hotel bed with crisp white sheets and six pillows?"

"Yes."

"On the bedside table, do you see the book I was reading at home and my watch and the dolphin bracelet you gave me last Christmas?"

"Yes."

"My bag on the stand next to the TV?"

"Yes."

"We switched. I'm at home and you're in my hotel room. Are you feeling okay otherwise?"

"I have a headache and my arms and legs are heavy."

Willow flexed her muscles and looked closely at her hands. "I think we switched more than locations."

"What?"

"I think we switched bodies."

"Oh. You mean I'm in your body that was in Tokyo and you in mine back home?"

"Are you up to checking in the mirror?"

"Think so."

Slowly the image became focused. "Hey," they said to the reflection of the person they loved.

"It was the spell," they said together. And chuckled.

"I should be freaked out, but I feel strangely calm," Tara said.

"I know what you mean," Willow agreed.

"How do we switch back?" Tara asked.

"Do the spell again?" Willow guessed.

"Probably, but we should do a little research first," Tara said sensibly.

"Okay. I'll go to the Magic Shop," Willow suggested.

"You'll tell the others?" Tara asked.

"I'll see if I can find something first. You get some rest, may be run a bath, the bath has massage jets," Willow grinned.

"Lucky I, or rather you, don't need to go to work today," Tara said.

"Yep. Oh hell."

"What?"

"I'll be fine in your body for a day, I can explain to the others. But you, tomorrow morning, the lecture!"

"Oh," Tara was worried now.

"Wait, wait. Can you get the schedule, it's in my backpack."

"One sec ... got it."

"Dr Hudson is speaking at all the lectures tomorrow?"

"Um, yes."

"Considering the audience reaction, or lack of, you can probably get away from sitting there looking intelligent. If they ask you anything, just ask 'and what do you think?' back."

"What about Dr Hudson?"

"He won't notice, he's got too much on his mind, just help him with the books and flip charts, then plead tiredness, he'll be fine."

"Okay."

"You sure, baby?"

Tara pondered for a moment. "Yes, I've seen enough of your work to try to bluff my way through. I'll pretend I have a splitting headache, which is not far from the truth."

"Get some rest now, we'll catch up tomorrow, okay?" Willow said.

"Night Sweetie," Tara said, stifling a giant yawn.

"Goodnight Love," Willow said, then took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

*****

24 hours later

"Hey Honey," Willow answered the phone at the second ring, her heart leapt when she saw it was her love. Well, technically the caller display said "Willow" but she knew it was Tara.

"Hi Will," Tara greeted.

"Did your day go okay?" Willow asked.

"It was fine, I sat in all the lectures and I don't think anyone suspected anything," Tara laughed.

"I haven't found any solid lead for the spell yet," Willow reported.

"I know."

"You know?"

"Yeah, otherwise you would have called me straightaway," Tara point out.

"True."

"But there was something I wanted to ask you, it's quite important," Tara said.

"Okay," Willow said, hoping it wasn't more wacky spells.

"Well, this morning I was looking through your bag for something to wear after I had a bath," Tara started.

"Sure, cos you can't wear the Sunnydale High T-shirt to the lectures at all," Willow smiled at the image.

"Like you told me, the bathtub had massage nozzles," Tara continued.

"Good aren't they," Willow smiled, thinking back at the luxurious bathroom in the hotel room. Mmmm, nice bath. OH SHIT!

"And what did I find next to the bath?" Double Shit!

"Um," Willow hesitated. I totally forgot!

"Imagine my surprise at finding that you'd brought Mr Ducky with you," Tara remarked.

"Well, it was for fun, to play with while in the bath, as a normal rubber duck!" Willow backpedaled.

"And then, what do I find in your bag?" Tara asked, in a tone that indicated she knew the answer already.

"A brown paper bag?" Willow asked in a small voice.

"Yes."

"Did you open it?" Willow followed up, though she knew the outcome already.

"I thought it was shoes."

"Oh."

"But no, no shoes inside, just some, how shall I call them? Interesting gadgets. I've never seen these before, what else are you hiding from me? I thought we don't have secrets. What happened to 'you're all I need'?" Tara choked, clearly close to tears.

"You are all I need! Tara, listen to me. I'm not dissatisfied with our sex life, and I'm not doing anything behind your back. Those toys, I bought them at this novelty shop on Monday. They were supposed to be a surprise," Willow blurted.

"S-s-surprise?"

"Yes, they're still wrapped, and look at the labels, all in Japanese."

Tara took a deep breath. "Oh. So, they're not for you?"

"Well, some. They're for us."

"Oh," then Tara laughed. "I ruined your surprise, now I feel like a clingy wife, looking through your stuff."

"You're never clingy. Wife-y yes, but never clingy."

"Really?" Tara beamed.

"Although, suspecting me like that, not trusting me. Don't you agree you should be punished?" Willow stated, in a tone Tara used more often, but was instantly recognizable.

Oh, turnabout. "Yes Willow," Tara replied, the same way Willow usually did.

"I'm feeling generous, so I'll let you choose, Tara."

"Thank you Willow."

"You can choose one of the toys in the box, unwrap it, and let me listen to you while you use it."

"Yes Willow."

"You may start now."

Tara did not hesitate. Soon Willow could hear her lover's moans as the new toys were put to good use.

"Do you want to feel, Will?" Tara managed to squeak out, while feeling incredibly pleasurable sensations all over her (or was it Willow's) body.

"How?"

"Do the spell."

"Oh!" Willow's brain suddenly sprang into gear.

And they did the spell again, and found themselves back at the place they loved so much, with the person who was their one and only love.

Their climaxes were just as powerful, their love just as fulfilled. They were One again.

This time, they came back to their own bodies.

And were determined to file the experience away for another time.

*****

The End