This story honestly just came out of nowhere for me xD I've been so insanely addicted to Buffy recently and the Willow x Tara pairing in general... that I just HAD to write something about it. It was like a need. So... here you go xD Hope you enjoy it, as I had a good time writing it :)
We Are One
"You seem to be coming here a lot lately."
"I can't help it. I feel safe here."
Willow accented her statement by snuggling tighter against her lover's naked body, the cherry coloured satin sheets embracing them in silky comfort. Tara's position didn't change; her hand continued its gentle caress through Willow's red locks as her sapphire gaze remained glued against the far wall.
"Is it a bad thing?"
The short rush of breath that just warmly showered her neck made Tara flicker her gaze to the top of Willow's head, unable to see the other girl's eyes. "What? That you feel safe here?"
"No, not that. I already presumed that to be a good thing." Willow adjusted her head away from Tara's shoulder only slightly, just enough that she could stare into her lover's eyes. "The fact that I keep coming here."
This sparked some emotion in Tara's face. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed together as her eyes shined in protectiveness. "You think it's a bad thing?"
Willow bit back a shudder that jolted through her, causing her to look down for a moment. Even after all these years, Tara's gentle voice still affected her the way it did on the first day they met. It truly was the voice of an angel. It caressed her, calmed her, embraced her, and loved her.
She missed hearing it every day.
The redhead's emerald gaze shyly rose to lock with her lover's, her lips hesitant to form her next words. "Am I… pulling you out of Heaven for you to be here?"
Tara was still for a moment, the weakness in Willow's tone and the child-like uncertainty that gleamed in her eyes wrenching forth a distant memory. Flashes of her old dimly lit dorm room filled her mind, the look in Willow's teary eyes when she was caught between her and Oz back then eminently resembled the look Willow was wearing now, just without the tears. She looked conflicted, which brought forth Tara's material side, a small smile gracing her lips.
"I'm always in Heaven when I'm with you," Tara reassured gently, her full lips pressing a lingering kiss against Willow's forehead.
Willow couldn't suppress the shudder that slipped out of her that time. The feeling of Tara's lips against her skin was just too much. It felt so good. It made her feel whole again.
Tara pulled back and Willow's eyes fluttered open to look at her. The blonde witch was smiling her trademark crooked smile, and it made Willow's heart melt. Sometimes words didn't need to be said. When Tara looked at her like that… when Tara smiled at her like that… she was wonderful. She was loved. She was safe.
"I miss this room—I didn't have to be brave here," Willow admitted slowly, angling her head to look around the room that used to be theirs. The room that didn't exist anymore. "I miss these walls. I miss this floor. I miss this bed…"
Willow's voice was quieting to a whisper, but Tara knew she wasn't done. Tara felt herself frown again when the redhead in her arms began to shake.
"I miss all the ingredients we used when we performed spells together. I miss the extra flamey candle I gave you on the night I told you I loved you. I miss your dimly lit dorm room that made me want to do nothing except kiss you. I miss the way Miss Kitty Fantastico would crawl over our faces when we were sleeping and then we'd wake up and start laughing. I miss all the fun times we all had at the Magic Box…"
Tara's expression softened in heartbreaking concern when Willow looked up at her, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.
"I miss the round and funny shaped pancakes you used to make because they made every morning better. I miss when we would just stare at the stars and you would show me all the constellations you made up, like the Big Pineapple, because the real ones never made sense to you. I miss the way you used to rub my tummy to make it feel better because it always worked. I miss the sound of your beautiful voice singing to me because it always made me smile. I miss how I didn't always have to be 'good' and 'fine,' because I knew that you still loved me. I miss the way you used to hug and kiss me because it made all of my anxieties disappear. I miss every single moment when you would look at me and I was wonderful… because none of those things… will ever happen again. Oh God, Tara… I miss you so much…"
Tara crushed her lips against Willow's, silencing her sobs with passion. She could taste the salty tang of Willow's tears—Goddess, how she hated seeing Willow cry. Even being dead, when Willow cried, so did she. When Willow felt pain, she felt it, too. What they felt for each other outstretched the ties of death, and she had to make sure Willow knew that.
"I love you," Tara murmured constantly between kisses, pressing their bodies tightly together. "Every part of you." She danced her tongue across Willow's lips and dominated her, comforted her. She explored her mouth and tasted everything that was her Willow. "I will always love you."
A loud sob burst from Willow's mouth, breaking their kiss.
"Willow… l-look at me."
Hearing the familiar, gentle stutter in Tara's voice quieted Willow, and caused her to open her eyes and stare into Tara's blue ones, whose were also now filled with tears. The blonde witch softly grasped her love's hand and used it to cup her own cheek.
"I-I'm right here, Baby," she could feel her voice beginning to tremble, but she kept it firm. She had to reassure this to Willow, and to herself. When she felt Willow's fingertips ghostly trail across her cheek, she continued speaking. "Even though you can't see me, I'm always with you, Will. I always will be; I love you. Whenever you get lost, I'll always be there to find you."
Willow's breaths were raspy as she desperately held Tara's face in her hands. "B-But… but you're—"
"—Dead, yes. But as long as you keep my memory in your heart, Will, then I'm not really gone. I'm one with you."
A saddened moan echoed from Willow's throat. She slowly inched her face closer to Tara's and brushed her lips against hers. It was a ghost of a kiss, one that ached with delicate love, one searching for truth, shimmering in similarity to the very first one they ever had. Was Tara really there? Even after all of the horrible things she did, did Tara still love her? Even after Kennedy…
Willow gently pulled away from the kiss, immediately burying her face in the crook of Tara's neck. Some part of her wanted to hide, but a bigger part of her just wanted to be held in Tara's arms forever; to be intoxicated by her smell every second of every day.
"I'm a horrible person," Willow stated with spikes of bitterness after her whimpers calmed down.
"Oh, Sweetie, why would you think that?" Tara asked as she placed a light kiss upon Willow's head, tightening her hold around her.
"I… I'm using her." The name of the person didn't need to be said to know who it was. The redhead felt her lover tense in her arms, but she continued. "She loves me. She tried to help me move on from you… she still tries every day… but, well, it's not really working, is it?"
Tara didn't reply.
"Every time she kisses me, I taste your lips. Or, rather, I think about them. How different yours are from hers and how much I wished I was kissing your lips instead. Every time she hugs me and tries to complete me, I still feel like I'm broken in pieces. I'm not whole when she hugs me… not like when you did. I felt so complete every time you hugged me."
Willow sighed against Tara's beautiful skin when the blonde snuggled herself closer against her, as if to prove Willow's previous statement.
"I remember this one time," Willow began daintily, "she told me that I was safe with her." The redhead waited until she received a kiss upon her hairline before deciding to continue. "She said that I could float around and she would tether me down. She said that I was a kite, and that she was my kite string. She would restrain me.
"But even if that's true…" Willow cupped her lover's face, a throaty whimper dripping past her lips after noticing that Tara was crying, "… you were always my wind, Tara. You didn't restrain me or tie me down. You helped me, and caressed me, and loved me. Even when things got rough, you were always there to guide me on the right path."
Tara kissed her sweetly, one full of affection and devotion, their hot tears mixing together. "But now, y-you're… my wind is gone," a chilled tremble shook Willow's voice, and Tara could see the fear building behind her eyes. "A-And now… I'm afraid there might be a storm coming… and my kite string won't be able to take it. I… I'm scared, Tara."
The blonde pulled her lover close, kissing her hair and gently stroking her back, actions that elicited more sobs from the weeping redhead. "I will always be here for you, Willow."
"Y-Yeah," Willow mumbled weakly into her shoulder, "when my eyes are closed."
"Even when they're open," Tara replied, kissing Willow's forehead. "I will always love you. All I want is for you to be happy."
"I'm only happy when I'm with you," Willow countered sadly, clutching onto Tara as if her life depended on her.
Tara let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding when Willow laid a shaky kiss upon her pulse point—an action Tara was sure had more meaning that what appeared. Does she have a pulse? Is she breathing? Oh God, why did she have to stop breathing? Why did her life have to be torn away from her? Why was she torn away from me? Tara was sure all of those thoughts were swirling inside Willow's head as she granted her kiss.
The blonde held her fellow witch tighter, so tight that not a single gap separated them. "Maybe that's why you keep coming here once you fall asleep," Tara said.
"Is that also why you're always here waiting for me?" Willow asked quietly. "It seems all too… coincidental."
The odd sharpness in her lover's words made Tara stare at her deeply as she ran her fingers through Willow's red locks. "What do you mean?"
"Well, isn't it a bit strange to you?" Willow asked gently, lowering her gaze. "That I keep having this same dream? Where you're lying here in our old room at Buffy's house, waiting for me, and then we just talk about… everything? Like… is this normal?"
"Nothing's ever been normal," Tara reminded her tenderly, a small smile gracing her lips. "Your soul is just trying to soothe itself by sending you to the place where you're happiest."
As much as Willow wanted to believe that, she couldn't. Something just felt out of place. She softly kissed Tara's full lips, savouring her taste, before speaking. "Is this a gift? Or is it a punishment?"
Tara frowned worriedly at her choice of words, smoothly caressing her lover's cheek with her fingers.
Willow took a deep breath, relishing in the indescribable warmth of Tara's touch. She came upon a questionable speculation, but her mouth was dry when she asked it.
"Are the Powers That Be sending me dreams of you?"
"The Powers That Be don't send dreams. They send visions."
Willow flinched at Tara's instant reply. She raised her hand and gently ran it through Tara's golden locks, her tenseness drifting away upon seeing that crooked smile that she loved so much. Her curiosity still got the better of her, though, "Well then, what is this?"
"What do you want it to be?"
Willow's grip on Tara tightened, desperately searching in her eyes for answers. She found none, and she couldn't even hear her own voice when she replied, "I… I don't know."
Tara smiled in understanding, pulling Willow in for another kiss. It started off slow, just a gentle brush of lips, but quickly heated into an action of unquenchable desire. Lips danced and tongues battled as hands caressed every inch of skin they could touch. Love radiated off of both of them, and it felt like for a moment, just a moment, that their souls had merged as one.
But Tara pulled away before Willow could enjoy the sensation any longer.
The blonde witch licked her lips, a large crooked smile plastered on her face. "If I did this…" The sudden hungry gleam in Tara's sapphire eyes made Willow shiver, "… would it help you with your choice?"
"Tara… w-what are you—?"
Before Willow could finish, everything around her disappeared. Tara, the bedroom—everything. She floated in an empty white space for a moment before a new area flashed into view. Now fully clothed, she was present in a graveyard in the dead silence of the night.
Utterly shocked at this abrupt transportation, she had to hold onto a tall nearby gravestone to keep herself upright. What was that? That never happened in her dreams, before. Why was she suddenly in a graveyard? And where was—
"Tara? … Tara, Baby, where are you?" Willow called out franticly. Where was Tara? Was she even still dreaming? Goddess, what was going on?
"Tara, please! Where are you, Baby? You told me you'd always be with me, remember? Where are you?"
A familiar fearful emptiness began to spread inside of her as her eyes continued to search around frenziedly, failing at finding any source of life.
But then she heard a sound behind her.
"Tara—!"
Her breath got caught in her throat and her knees almost buckled from beneath her at what her eyes just rested upon. A dark haired female lay flat on the grassy surface, a dirtied leather jacket hugging her figure, blood pooling out around her. Her skin was completely pale, with a face that extensively reminded her of…
"… Kennedy?
The wave of nausea that just soared through Willow nearly sent her to her knees. She clutched onto the gravestone for dear life and soon found herself frozen.
"Oh God no… please no… Kendoll? Kennedy? Baby, please, you can't die on me again… you have to wake up!"
Her voice sounded strained and distant, every word she cracked reeking of bile. Disbelieving sobs shook her body as tears flooded her cheeks once more.
She gasped sharply upon hearing laughter beside her, quickly turning her head to face the noise.
"T-Tara… Baby?"
Tara continued to laugh, her long blonde tresses covering her face.
"Tara? Oh God, Kennedy is… Kennedy is… Tara, what's going on? Tara, I thought I was safe here. I thought I came here because I was happy here. … Why is all this suddenly happening?"
Tara didn't reply; her laughter merely increased in volume.
Willow shivered uncontrollably, sobs aching her throat. "… Tara? Sweetie, please, look at me. Why're you—"
The world stopped spinning for Willow the moment Tara looked up. Bumps pulsed across her face, her eyes glowing yellow in demonic hunger. Continuous chuckles escaped from a familiar crooked smile, but it just wasn't the same. Blood was spilling from her lips and down her pale chin.
Vampire.
Willow could literally feel her heart sink into the black hole of her stomach. A sickening pain and sadness wrenched through her. "Oh God, no… Tara… no… please tell me it's not true. Baby, please tell me that it's not true!"
Tara's laughter subsided as she slowly began pacing towards the frightened Willow. She licked the metallic blood of her lips, her fangs poking through, causing Willow's orbs to widen even further.
Against all better judgment, Willow took a shaky step forward, her right arm outstretched. "Please, Tara… I love you." Willow's voice was no louder than a whisper. "You told me that you wanted me to be happy, right? You told me you were one with me, right? So why is all this happening?"
Tara took hold of Willow's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We are one, Will."
Willow shuddered. The warm smile Tara wore completely contrasted with the rest of her cold face. It was hard to stare into those liquid topaz eyes, but that smile—Oh, Goddess, that crooked smile.
"W-We are?" Willow didn't even hear herself speak. Did she even say anything at all? She wasn't sure. She wasn't sure of anything right now. The intensifying pain was taking over everything she was.
However, Tara nodded, so she must've heard her, before she raised Willow's hand to cup her own cheek. She sighed softly against the fragile warmth. She turned her face to kiss Willow's hand, the redhead's hand twitching upon feeling the hot blood that was spilling over Tara's chin stain her palm.
Willow froze when Tara's starved gaze suddenly flicked up to her.
"Happy Birthday, Will."
Black clouded Willow's vision as Tara's fangs pierced her throat.
Willow awoke with a cry, bolting upright.
"Baby? Baby, are you okay?"
Willow could feel the hot tears cascading down her face as strong, feminine arms wrapped around her protectively, pulling her close. The redhead struggled for heavy breaths, her nose eventually picking up on the other person's perfume.
"K-Kennedy?"
"I'm right here, Sweetie," the dark haired girl replied, burying the witch's face in her shoulder. "God, are you okay, Willow? You've been crying for over an hour, which is longer than usual."
Slowly, reality began to set into place for Willow. She was in her lover's—Kennedy's—arms, in their room, in their house in Brazil. The bed was the same, the walls were the same, the floor was the same, everything was the same. Everything that just happened… everything with Tara… it really just was—
"—Was it that dream with Tara again?" Kennedy asked softly, stroking Willow's hair.
With a slow, skeptical nod, she wrapped her arms around Kennedy's bare back; Willow didn't trust herself to speak yet.
Kennedy's hold tightened. "It seems you were taken on quite a ride tonight, Will. Are you sure you're okay?"
The witch opened her mouth to reply, but was stopped short when she caught sight of her right hand. There was something red on her hand—was that blood?—and it spelt something. The letters said…
You killed her.
Sudden memories blazed in Willow's mind. First of Tara, her lovely Tara, lying dead in her arms with her chest torn open. Second of Kennedy, her body lying dead on the territory of a graveyard with blood pooled around her.
Willow blinked hastily, franticly, and the writing was gone.
Letting out a painful shudder and shaking her dire memories away, Willow replied, "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little shaken up, is all."
The dark haired girl gazed at Willow in worry, rubbing up and down Willow's arm when the redhead pulled away from her embrace. "Is there anything I can do to help?" The brunette offered gently.
("Are the Powers That Be sending me dreams of you?"
"The Powers That Be don't send dreams. They send visions."
"Well then, what is this?"
"What do you want it to be?")
Willow stared at her girlfriend in determination. "Can you get me the phone, Kendoll?"
Kennedy's brow furrowed. "The phone? Why?"
"Because," Willow began softly, the image of Tara, both human and vampire, flourishing behind her eyes, "I think I need to call Buffy."
... WELL THEN. I honestly have no idea where the hell that came from, but I had fun with it xD I don't really plan on expanding on this, so where I just left it off... you guys can finish with your imagination xD Unless I get really encouraged to add on to this somehow... maybe you guys will be able to convince me xD
Anyways, Buffy is the best show ever (nothing has ever made me cry that much), and Willow x Tara is the cutest pairing to have ever existed on television, I swear. I hope you enjoyed my story. Please review! :)