Title: Contentment

Author: Phoenixheart79 aka Carl/theblondiebear

Rating: PG, probably U.

Timeline: <Shrugs> Pretty much timeless, anywhere from season 5 to
the end of season 6.

Disclaimer: Not mine, only playing! I'll put them back when I've
done, promise!

Author's note: This was written literally just now, while I waited
for a download to finish. As such, it is completely unbetaed, please
forgive any glaring errors! Oh, feedback is always welcome!


*******

Dawn padded softly over to the sofa and plopped herself down beside
Tara, resting her head on the older woman's shoulder. Tara smiled
contently and ran a hand through Dawn's hair, breathing in the scent
of the girl's shampoo. She pushed the younger girl back up, smiling,

"Hey, have you been using my herbal shampoo again?"

Dawn blushed and hung her head slightly, "Darn, busted." She muttered
playfully.

"You bet missy." Tara said, punching Dawn gently on the
shoulder, "So, what did you think to dinner?" she continued.

Dawn smiled and rubbed her slightly bulging stomach contently, "It
was fantastic! I'm so full I don't think I'll need to eat for a
month! Where did you learn to cook like that? I thought all college
students lived off of take-outs and microwave meals?"

Tara chuckled, "Well, I had to do something to impress Willow, didn't
I?"

It was Dawn's turn to laugh, "I don't think you needed to do that,
you were all she ever talked about her first year at school. `Me and
Tara did this amazing spell last night. Me and Tara watched the
greatest movie, blah blah blah!"

Tara blushed a little, "Really? She told you about us?"

"Oh, totally!" Dawn gushed, then saw the look on Tara's face, "Oh!
Not like that. I mean that she was always talking about the stuff you
two had got up to during the day."

"So, she didn't tell you we were..." The blonde wiccan trailed off.

"Together?" Dawn finished and Tara nodded, "No, but then she didn't
need to, I totally had sussed it out long before she told Buffy and
the others! Buffy's such a dunce, I can't believe she missed it!"

"Dawn!" Tara proclaimed in shock, "You shouldn't talk about your
sister like that!"

"Why not?" Dawn asked, pouting. "She's so dumb sometimes, it's
unreal!"

"Dawn, sweetie, stop it. Buffy doesn't insult you like that."

Dawn sighed dramatically, "Okay, okay, I get the message!"

Tara smiled and stroked the young woman's hair, "Good girl. Now close
the curtains will you? It's gotten dark out."

Dawn let out another sigh and stood, closing the curtains. "Great,"
she whined, "Now I'm slave labor too!"

"You bet you are sweetie." Tara put in, "Think of it as payment for
the meal."

Just then the front door opened and Willow stepped in, closing the
door softly behind her. She turned and was confronted by a grinning
Tara, "Hi there, miss me?" The redheaded wiccan inquired.

"Always baby." Tara said, pulling her lover into a tight embrace,
kissing her with a passion that would melt the sun. They broke off as
Dawn coughed, bringing the pair tumbling back to earth.

"If you guys are gonna get physical, take it up stairs." The young
brunette said, grinning. "That way the stereo will drown you out."

The two lovers grinned sheepishly, only nodding in response before
racing up the stairs hand in hand. Dawn heard the slamming of the
bedroom door just as she started her Justin Timberlake album,
eclipsing any other sounds in the house.

******

Hope you enjoyed it folks!

Carl