The front door slammed loudly drawing three of the potentials from the kitchen, each one armed with a more baffling ‘weapon’. Willow and Tara set the large brown bags carefully on the dining room table and studied each one quizzically.

Amanda blushed deeply as she tried to hide the spatula she had brandished, behind her back. Next to her, Molly and Rona looked equally embarrassed with their choice of weapon. Willow looked between the three eager potentials and giggled.

“So, what? You were gonna make the intruder lunch?” as she nodded towards the wooden spoon and cheese grater.

“Or maybe cookies?!” Tara offered with a giggle, “Strange cheesy cookies!” she finished and returned her attention to the shopping.

“Or maybe those funny cheese straws that Giles keeps talking about.” Willow added hopefully.

The potentials returned to the kitchen although Willow and Tara seemed oblivious to their departure. “Yeah, they sounded tasty!” Tara agreed as she hoisted two of the heaviest bags up and headed after the crimson-cheeked trio.

“Aren’t you meant to be down with Anya doing the learning thing?” Willow asked as she reached the breakfast bar in the centre of the room and dropped her bag with a small grunt.

“We were just going.” Amanda told her, hanging her head as she made her way to the basement door with the others following reluctantly behind.

“See what I did there!” the redhead giggled as she turned back to Tara who was struggling to balance three wayward oranges and a stray banana in the fruit dish.

“What’s that sweetie?” she asked through clenched teeth as one of the oranges rolled across the counter for a third time.

Willow watched as Tara snarled at the citrus fruit and shot her arm out to save it from rolling onto the floor.

“I just disembowelled Spike.” Willow said matter of factly. It was clear from the less than impressed look on Tara’s face that she was concentrating more on the fruit than the conversation.

“Good for you sweetie. Well done.” Tara replied without looking up. “Hey wait, what??” she spun around to face Willow and the oranges rolled from the dish, thumping to the floor around her feet.

Willow giggled and crossed to her soul mate, wrapping her arms around her waist as she rested her forehead against Tara’s. “Its only fruit.” she breathed quietly. Tara shuddered softly in her arms as Willows warm breath tickled her lips delicately. “It doesn’t matter if it looks pretty.” she whispered, her voice carrying a seductive undercurrent.