Willow and Tara emerged on deck about forty five minutes later, their giggles resounding around the silent deck and their cheeks still flushed with a mixture of satisfaction and embarrassment. Giles was sitting at the bow, his legs dangling over the edge. Buffy and Xander were still splashing and playing the soft ocean swell. “H-hey guys.” Tara said, surprised by the reappearance of her stutter.
Giles turned towards the women who were still wrapped up in one another, their fingers intertwined and stealing looks when they thought the other wasn’t looking. Giles beamed at them and nodded his head before continuing with the book that had been previously hidden from their view.
Buffy and Xander emerged from the water moments later. Xander grinned and winked as he passed the women to fetch his towel. Buffy dropped her eyes and contemplated leaping back into the welcoming sea. She had accidently walked in on the pair once before, back when she and Willow had shared a dorm room. Patrol had been quiet and she decided to forego a night with Riley in favour of some Willow time. Unfortunately for her, Tara had thought ‘Willow time’ was also a good idea. Buffy had burst into the room to see her best friend receiving some ‘good lovin’. Dropping the cups and doughnut box, she had turned and fled, much like she had today. For months she wondered how Willow had managed to get herself into that position but hadn’t found the courage to ask, instead she decided to try it herself. Even with her Slayer strength and dexterity she had pulled all the muscles in her thigh and had limped for a week.
They hadn’t really spoken about the incident, although Willow seemed to be less than embarrassed at being caught.
“You ok Buff?” the redheads voice cut into her recollection and she instinctively looked up, her eyes meeting the deep green pools before her. “Uh? What?” Buffy asked as she felt her cheeks burning.
“I said, are you ok?” Willow spoke slowly, sounding each word out clearly. Buffy grinned, something about Willows demeanour always managed to put her at ease and she nodded.
“Yeah, just having a memory.” Buffy replied a frown crinkling her forehead.
“A good one I hope?” Tara asked gingerly.
Buffy's grinned widened, “For some it was.” she told the blonde, before disappearing below deck to shower.
“No Xander, I really don’t think it’s a good idea.” Giles voice was stern as Willow and Tara reached the pair.
“What’s not a good idea?” Willow asked as she dropped to the deck, Tara's hand still enclosed around hers.
“Xander feels that he should have a go at ‘driving’.” Giles told them. Looking around the boat, there was no sign of anything, no other boats, no buoys, not even a random seagull.
“Well, it’s not like he can hit anything.” Willow said, gesturing to the vast ocean around them. “And I'm sure that you will keep and eye on him.” Giles sighed and looked around. Willow was right, there was nothing to be seen for miles. He scolded himself mentally for being so selfish. Secretly he enjoyed being the captain of such a stunning vessel and thought that maybe the authority and responsibility had gone too his head. “I guess you’re right Willow.” he sighed eventually.
“Yay!! Cap’in Xander to the wheel!” the young man announced, leaping to his feet and performing a strange little dance around his friends.
“It’s the helm, not the wheel.” Giles sighed. He had filled them in on basic nautical terms before they’d even left Sunnydale but it seemed that in their excitement, they had forgotten. “To the bridge Cap’in!” Xander beamed and was surprised to find Giles grinning right back at him. ‘Maybe they didn’t all forget.’ Giles thought. “Beam you up Scotty!” Willow and Tara replied in unison and Giles rolled his eyes playfully.
As Xander started the engine, it spluttered momentarily before humming cheerfully. “Not too fast now.” Giles instructed from his side as he increased the speed slowly.
Soon the were merrily zipping through the waves, Willow and Tara shrieking in delight at the bow, enjoying the wind and mist from the ocean in their faces.
Buffy returned to the deck, rubbing her head indignantly. “Giles, have you been drink…” he words were cut short when she saw Xander at the helm. “Explains everything.” she muttered as she grabbed hold of the hatch for support. Moving carefully to join Willow and Tara, she grinned at Giles and Xander.
“Will?” she called as she reached her friends side. Willow beamed at her, her face and shorts were soaked and she was clearly loving the experience. “I’m sorry about before.” she shouted over the sound of the engine and the waves. Willow brushed the comment away and Tara smiled apologetically. “Just forget it Buff.” the redhead told her. “It’s no biggie!” Tara nodded her agreement and Buffy could do little but shrug.
Suddenly the yacht jerked sideways, almost as if pushed by an invisible hand. Everyone’s ears popped in much the same way they often do on an airplane and they felt an unseen force wash over them. Xander slowed the boat and stopped as quickly as he could. “What did we hit?” Giles yelled, the obvious fear in his voice making them all more than a little nervous.
Willow, Buffy and Tara shook their heads. “We didn’t hit anything.” Buffy told him before leaning over the side to inspect the hull once more.
“It was more like we passed through something.” Willow called back up to him.
Joining together in the centre of the deck, the Scoobies checked themselves mentally and all appeared to be unharmed. “I’m going to check out the hull.” Giles announced suddenly. “Just to be sure.” he finished before disappearing below deck.
“I could do with a swim, I’ll help.” Tara announced and ducked through the hatch to change into her bathing costume and tell Giles.
“That was weird.” Xander said, trying to break the uneasy silence that had filled the air since their spooky encounter. Willow and Buffy looked around before looking at each other. “Something isn’t right.” Willow said, matter-of-factly. The reappearance of Giles and Tara kitted out in their bathing kits hushed her next words and she stood and stared at her girlfriend. In their years together, Willow had seen Tara in almost every possible scenario but never in a bathing suit. The vision before her took her breath away. The black material clung to her voluptuous breasts and teased her imagination. The leg was cut high and revealed the full hips of her lover to perfection.
Tara remained oblivious to Willows staring as she took the snorkel that Giles handed to her. When she looked up, she caught Willows eyes and grinned. Crossing over the deck, her fingers brushed Willows. Leaning in she whispered; “See something you like baby?” she purred causing the redhead to swallow noisily. Tara giggled and before Willow had a chance to reply, she dove into the crystal blue ocean.
“We won’t be a minute.” Giles told them as he dove over the opposite side of the boat.
_____________________________________________________
Sitting in the living area, Giles, Buffy, Xander, Willow and Tara were trying to puzzle out what had caused the sudden impact. The hull was completely undamaged and Giles had been watching Xander carefully to ensure that he was careful. “It doesn’t make any sense.” Xander said for the seventh time. They had prepared and eaten a large meal of freshly caught fish and new potatoes with salad and Xander was helping himself to more ice cream.
A hideous thought suddenly struck Willow. “Giles, where are we?” she asked suddenly. The Watcher took to his feet and retrieved the charts and compass. After studying it for almost ten minutes in perfect silence, he removed his glasses and polished them fiercely before returning them to their perch on his nose and focusing his attention on the maps.
Willow crossed to his side and looked at the charts before them. “We were here before lunch.” he said, pointing to an open expanse of water between Miami and a group of smaller islands. Willow picked up a pencil that Giles had retrieved with the charts and drew three simple lines over the map. “Xander had us pointing in this direction….” Giles’ words were lost when he saw what Willow had created with her simple pencil strokes. Taking his glasses from his face, he stared at her in disbelief. “No, it’s just not possible.” he told her. After re-reading the compass and various other technical locators, the witch and the watcher stared up at each other, horror filling their faces.
“So, where are we?” Tara asked suddenly, the tension in the small cabin was almost suffocating and she was desperate for someone to break it.
“Well, according to this highly sophisticated equipment.” Giles began. “We’re in Hawaii.”
The three stared with open mouths at the Watcher. “In reality.” Willow took over. “I think we’re in the Bermuda Triangle!!”
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