A/N: Okay, so I really wasn't expecting any reviews…especially only 30 min after publishing my first story. I was so giddy with excitement that I decided to write more, so here goes.
DISCLAIMER: We all know that the characters in this story are not mine, and if they were, things would have happened sooo different.
It was starting to get cold. Tara tried to hide her discomfort. Buffy and Dawn had long since gone inside to leave them alone. Willow, it seemed, could not let her go. After Tara had made her promise, Willow had wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and sobbed, for what seemed like hours. She had calmed down some, but was still breathing raggedly. The darkness around them had turned into a dusky grey and Tara could feel the morning coming. The redhead started to shiver.
"Willow…" She started to get up, but Willow only gripped her tighter. "You're cold. Let's go inside, sweetheart." Willow nodded and they got up together, neither one of them wanting to break contact.
Tara pulled her into the house, and saw Dawn and Buffy sitting at the dining table, huge grins on their faces, their eyes red from crying. The witches joined them at the table, hands clenched tight.
Buffy spoke first, "We wanted to call Xander, but we weren't sure if you wanted to wait."
Tara sent an excited glance at Willow, who gave her a nod of assent with a slight smile. "He's missed you, too."
"We all have," Dawn said.
"Call him, please." Buffy got up and rushed into the kitchen to call their best friend.
Dawn was bouncing around in her seat, obviously happy enough to be bursting at the seams. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? Can I get you something, Tara?"
Tara laughed. "I'd like that, Dawnie. Thanks."
As the youngest Summers girl left, Tara looked over at Willow, and frowned. Willow had her head bowed, silent tears running down her face, a sad expression on her face.
"Will, honey, baby, what's wrong?" Willow looked up at her, and her expression went from just sad to devastated. "Please, talk to me."
"I don't deserve this," she said softly. "Tara, I've done so many things. Bad things. A-and you remember what Buffy said when she - when we brought her back. S-she was at peace, with n-no pain or fear, she was in Heaven, and now y-you, you're back, and baby don't get me wrong, I'm happy. But that's selfish. You were-" She was cut off by Tara's finger softly pressing against her lips. Tara smiled at her softly.
"I didn't go to Heaven, Willow." At the confusion she saw in her love's eyes, Tara went on, "I stayed here. I couldn't leave you here, alone. I stayed with you. The whole time." Fear sparked in the green eyes, and Tara sighed. "Yes, I saw what you did. I cried for you. I was with you, baby, but I couldn't stop you." Tears started building in both their eyes. "You couldn't hear me."
"How can you look at me, touch me, knowing what I've done, what I am?" Willow was disgusted with herself. She let go of Tara and got up to stare out of the window. "I'm a monster."
Tara came up behind her, wrapping her arms around Willow's waist, her heart aching for the redhead. "What you are, Willow, is my soul mate. I forgave you. You have to forgive yourself now." Willow sighed and leaned into Tara's arms.
"Food's ready," Dawn said, coming in with a plate of scrambles eggs, and Buffy followed behind her with glasses of juice.
"Xander will be here soon. He's not sure what's going on, but I asked him to come right away."
They sat at the table, and Tara just stared at the food in silence.
"Is something wrong? I can make you something else," Dawn asked nervously.
"Oh. No, it's fine. Thank you. It's just that…" She looked around at everyone, a small smile twitching at her lips. "It's been so long that I think I forgot how to eat." They all laughed, and Tara tried to shake her weird mood. She picked up her fork and ate a small bite, chewing slowly. Her eyes slid closed. "Mmm. Food tastes better than I remember."
The women turned their heads together when they heard the front door open. Buffy called out, "In here, Xand."
He walked into the dining room, "Hey guys, hey Tare." He started pulling his coat off. "So what's so important that you had to call and wake me up at… Tara!" His eyes shifted back to where Tara was sitting, a grin stretching slowly across her face.
"Hi, Xander," she said softly, getting up to walk towards him. He pulled her into a hug. "I thanked you before, but you couldn't hear me, so I'll say it again. Thank you for saving my girl."
His throat was too thick with tears to say anything so he just nodded.
"I think you all need to hear what happened, why I'm back?" They all nodded. She sat back down to her food and told them while she ate. She told them that she had refused to leave Willow alone. She told them about the conversations with her mother. And she told them about last night, with the Many.
"It's so good to be back here with my family. All that's missing is Anya and…"
"Giles!" They all said this together. Buffy rushed up to call Giles. Xander, Dawn and Willow watched her leave, lauging quietly. When they turned back to Tara, she was staring in wonder at the glass in her hand.
"Wow, Tara, I didn't know that you liked orange juice so much," Xander said.
She blushed. "I-I haven't b-been able to...to-" She suddenly grew quiet.
"To touch anything," Willow finished softly.
"Yeah." She looked at Willow gratefully. "It's going to take some getting used to."
Buffy came back in. "He's taking the first flight back." She saw Tara look up at her and realized how tired the blonde looked.
"Hey, why don't you go get some rest," she suggested gently.
"Rest? Oh. Okay." She got up and headed towards the stairs, stopping when she realized that she was alone. "Willow? Will you come with me?"
Willow got up and followed her out of the room.
"We'll all be here when you guys come down," Xander told them. Tara smiled her thanks. He waited until he could hear the door close upstairs and dropped his head into his hands. Buffy put a hesitant hand on his shoulder, and he looked up her with tears on his face. "We're going to get Willow back. She's going to bring our Willow back," he said, his voice breaking.
"I missed her too, Xand. We all missed them both." Buffy looked at her sister, then back to Xander, and finally let herself feel real hope, and let herself cry tears of happiness for her best friend, and what Tara's return would mean for their little family.