Act 3
"Tara?" Buffy repeated in a dazed tone.
The blonde Slayer stared at the young woman in front of her. She wore a worn white shirt and dirty, used and torn jeans and Buffy couldn't say if this was consecutive to the attack or was older. Buffy looked for hint of bites or wounds and felt relieved to find none.
Her gaze lingered on the long and thin legs, the fine arms and waistband and she noticed how she looked like frailer than in her memories. Her eyes traveled then to the girl's face. The blonde hair was longer and tousled and dirty as was her pale and tired face. Buffy stared at the features with thoroughness, as she was hypnotized by the vision in front of her. She stared at the cheekbones, the full lips puckered up in an hesitant wince, the long eyelashes, the lost gaze. She gazed into blue eyes laid on her and flinched, glimpsing behind the crazed gaze a light once so well known.
Her blurred mind was buzzing with questions. All sort of ideas, from the craziest to the most pessimistic were dancing in her head in a kaleidoscope of pictures concertinaing in front of her eyes like an association of films having nothing to do with each other. She didn't dare to believe what her eyes told her. After these years of mourning, these months of indecisiveness, guilt, hesitance, these last weeks of anguished wait and wrung forsaking, she COULDN'T believe it. Had life been already so kind to offer her that sort of gift? She tried desperately to master her feelings and to make her brain working again.
"Tara?" she heard beside her.
She turned to Xander who was looking at her with surprise and worry.
"Buff, do you think that…?"
But Buffy had no clue to answer the question her friend didn't dare to ask. For a moment, they looked at each other and searched in the other one's gaze what to do.
"B-Buffy?"
The voice made Buffy shiver from head to toes. It was a little hoarser than what she remembered but she recognized it as hers. The Slayer recognized the tone, the halting stutter being Tara's.
And to the sound of the blonde witch's voice, all control Buffy barely kept over herself for some minutes, disappeared all at once. A flood of emotions crashed down on the Slayer like a wave and overwhelmed her entirely. And the obviousness was there, just the pronunciation of her own name : it was really Tara in front of her. The initial wavering was brushed away by this absolute certainty that Buffy felt stirring, growing and imposing from deep inside herself. The Slayer then gave up any caution and question and opened her arms before throwing herself in the woman's arms as tears began to pour on her cheeks.
"Tara! Oh God, Tara!"
Tara didn't react to the blonde Slayer's hug but she didn't even notice as she was too much engulfed in her own world. She didn't notice either when Xander did as Buffy and wrapped his strong arms around both girls.
Remained some steps behind, Faith considered that sudden tenderness for a survivor, shared between bewilderment and dismay. She crossed her arms over her chest with a bored look on her face and tried without succeeding to understand what was taking place in front of her.
"Hum, did I muff something or you just miss a real lot to save lives?" she finally asked after admitting none logical explanation would come to her mind.
Her mocking question didn't get an answer, not even any reaction. Faith came closer and watched. She tried to make the girl they had just saved out but she was hidden under Buffy's and Xander's hug and the only thing Faith could was the woman's long blonde hair.
The brunette Slayer suddenly felt really uneasy to witness something she guessed was a particular moment for her two companions. She thought to just disappear to leave them alone but finally decided against it, thinking they could need her as they seemed really agitated.
So Faith just waited for them to remember she was there.
Did she wait for an eternity or just some seconds? She couldn't tell. But eventually, Xander released the two young women and stepped back enough to let Buffy and the stranger breathe. The blonde Slayer wiped quickly a tear from her face and without totally letting go of the girl, stepped back in her turn.
Faith could finally the see the newcomer's face. It seemed somewhat familiar to Faith but she couldn't tell exactly what ii remained her of. Long blond hair framed a pale face dirtied by tears and dust. Big blue eyes contrasted with the cheeks' paleness. Deep rings dug the delicate features. Faith thought the girl looked like a little lost animal.
"What's up B?" She grumbled. "You know who's this girl?"
It took half a second to Buffy and Xander to realize Faith was still there and that she was talking to them. Xander finally drifted her gaze away from the blonde and turned to her.
"It's Tara" He said in a slightly trembling voice, as it was enough to explain the current situation.
Faith thought that it probably should: the name and the face were somewhat familiar but she couldn't remember something clear about the girl that would allow her to understand what was happening. Xander probably read on her face she didn't understand better but before he could add something, Buffy tugged at his sleeve to get his attention back.
"We're gonna get her to the hotel"
Xander turned again to the blondes. Buffy was still holding Tara and was looking at her with a worried look. Tara was shaking violently and looked like she was barely aware of her surroundings. And Buffy remembered only too well that post-traumatic state she had herself known.
"Tara" She said gently. "You're safe with us. It's Buffy and Xander. We're gonna take you with us. You'll be able to rest. We're gonna take care of you"
She didn't really know what to say. She could relate to how Tara could feel cause she went through that before. But she was still at a loss to know what Tara could understand or need. Offering comforting words and behavior seemed evident and the only thing she could do right now.
Buffy stood up and tried to get Tara to her feet. She wanted to follow Buffy but her legs gave in beneath her. The blonde Slayer caught her before she fell to the ground and Xander was immediately beside her to help her up. Even Faith made a gesture to help.
"We have to get her to the hotel." Buffy repeated. "She's exhausted. Xander?"
The young man smiled to Buffy, then to Tara as he turned to her. He ran his arm around her waist and was about to lift her in his arms when Faith came closer.
"Let me Xan" She said. "Slayer strength" she added showing her arms.
Xander boggled and Faith was ready to do as she said but Tara slipped behind Xander when the dark-haired Slayer was about to touch her with a slightly afraid look on her face.
Faith couldn't help but feel hurt by Tara's reaction but she didn't show anything more than a little surprise.
Xander gave her an apologic smile and put his arms under Tara to lift her from the ground.
"Thanks Faith" He said smiling to her then to Tara. "But a friend strength is sometimes better."
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A discreet knock made Xander slightly jump. But Buffy was already at the door and half opened it to see who was behind. She opened wide to let Giles in before closing the door again immediately. The former Watcher came closer to the bed with hurry and care at the same time. When he was close enough, he stopped and stared at the hunched figure on the bed. Tara was sleeping and the many jolts and shivers shaking her body, pointed out her sleep wasn't really restful.
"Dear Lord" Giles finally managed to get out after gazing at her for a moment.
Then he looked up to Buffy and Xander. Each of them was standing on each side of the bed and looked like they were waiting for Giles to say something. He sighed and looked back at Tara.
"What happened exactly?" He finally asked.
"We were patrolling with Faith" Buffy began. "We found her in the cemetery. She got attacked by vampires"
Giles looked up abruptly to her words and Buffy raised a reassuring hand.
"She didn't get hurt. We arrived in time."
Giles nodded.
"Where's Faith?"
Buffy gestured to show clearly she had no idea.
"We asked her not to talk about this. I'm not worried about this."
Giles nodded again. Then he put something out of his coat and sat on a chair near the bed.
"What's this?" Buffy suspiciously asked as she looked at the black cube Giles was now holding in his palm.
"A…" Giles began.
Then she looked at Buffy who was watching him expectantly and corrected himself:
"Let's say it's a magical cube"
"And what do you plan to do with this?" Buffy asked again.
"Check if she's human" Giles answered calmly.
"Giles!" Buffy exclaimed in a reproachful voice.
The Watcher looked at her severely.
"I have to Buffy. We have to be sure it's really her"
"Giles, the doc already came to examine her from every angle. Can you just leave her alone?"
"It'll just take a minute and she won't even feel anything, don't worry."
Saying this, Giles approached the cube to Tara's naked arm under Buffy's glare. With his free hand, he got a phial out of his pocket and poured some seeds from it on the cube and on the witch's skin while chanting quietly words in Latin.
At first, nothing happened and Buffy saw her former Watcher frown heavily. Then the cube's color changed slightly to gray then to a vibrating green. Buffy looked for a relieved light in Giles' eyes but found none. His face remained severe as he got back the cube and put it on the dresser behind him. He stepped back in his chair and went on to stare at Tara.
"Giles" Buffy eventually said impatiently as Giles remained silent.
"So?" Xander tried to help her.
Giles didn't seem to react to their questions and took off his glasses to clean them without taking his eyes off Tara. Finally, after what seemed an eternity to both friends, he whispered in a low and tired voice:
"God, he did it"
"What?" Buffy immediately asked.
Giles finally turned to her and wiped his glasses a final time.
"He did it. Gideon did it. She's human"
"You don't look like too much happy" Xander asked with surprise.
Buffy came closer to Giles and an understanding look printed on her face.
"You thought he couldn't do it Giles? Or that he wouldn't do it?"
Giles put his glasses back on his nose and gazed at the Slayer.
"No, I never believed for any second that he would accept. And even less that he would actually do it"
They stared at each other for a moment in silence and it couldn't be said if Buffy was just surprise or rather furious.
"Why send us there then?" She eventually asked.
"I thought you'd give up if a powerful warlock refuse to do it. I thought you needed to hear it was impossible from those practicing that kind of things"
Again silence. Xander finally interrupted it and asked carefully to change the subject:
"What did the doc say?"
Giles felt relieved and he turned to him with a good smile.
"She said she seemed to be healthy but is totally drained up"
"Did she tell how she gets there?" Giles asked after a pause.
Both friends shook their head together.
"No. She didn't really talk" Buffy whispered. "And she fell asleep almost immediately when we settled her here"
"What does the doc think?" Xander asked.
"Marisha thinks she walked for a long time, hours, maybe days, which explains partly her exhaustion"
"Partly?" Xander asked.
"It's hard to tell right now but her weakness could be due to her resurrection…"
Saying this, Giles gazed intently at Buffy.
"I didn't have physical relapses after my resurrection when I came back Giles"
"The process here is different" The watcher replied abruptly.
A new heavy silence fell on the room, while Giles stared at the sleeping girl once again.
"Giles, are we sure…" Xander began.
"The medical examination didn't show any anomaly and the cube tells us she's human. And you seem to be pretty much sure…"
"It's her" Buffy said with conviction. "I'm sure Giles. As sure as I know you're you"
Giles considered her for a second without saying anything.
"And how are you sure it's really me?"
Buffy looked at him with surprise and grinned with amusement before answering:
"That typical nonsense question for example. Or that trademark look on your face when you're annoyed. Or the way you're cleaning your glasses fifty times a day"
Giles stopped the piece of cloth he used to carefully scrub his glasses and looked up to Buffy who was looking at him with a triumphant smile. Then, he put his glasses back on his nose and coughed slightly to clear his throat.
"Hum, well. How do you think to proceed?"
"Proceed what?" Xander asked.
"For Tara" Giles clarified. "For Dawn. For Willow."
Xander and Buffy exchanged a glance.
"We don't really talked about that" Xander said.
"We'll wait for Tara to wake up to see how she feels before doing anything."
Giles nodded.
"Seems wise to me. But…"
He stared at them intently again, then at Tara.
"Be careful. For Willow, it could be…tough"
"We know this Giles" Xander seriously replied. "We'll be as delicate as possible"
"Tara will probably need some time to adapt herself" the former Watcher whispered. "Have you thought about this too?"
Both friends nodded altogether.
"I delayed my return to Rome once more." Buffy said. "I don't exactly when I'll get back but it won't be before things get clear"
"Good, good." Giles admitted.
Then he looked at his watch at his wrist before looking up to Buffy and Xander again.
"We should go and get some sleep" He said. "It's very late and you both look terrible"
Buffy shook her head.
"We can't leave Tara alone. I'm staying."
"I can stay too" Xander said despite the weariness he started to feel.
"I'm the Slayer" Buffy added. "I don't need sleep"
"Even Slayers need to sleep" Giles replied. "Especially retired Slayers. I'm going to stay with her" he added firmly.
"I'm not leaving her alone" Buffy protested stubbornly.
"She won't be alone. You really look tired. And tomorrow will probably be a hard day. Some rest might be useful"
Buffy was about to protest again but Xander's hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"Buff, I think he's right" The young man said. "Tara'll need us in good form"
Buffy looked at Xander Giles one after the other and gave in.
"Good. I think I can use some hours of sleep" she admitted.
Giles smiled.
"It's a wise decision," he concluded.
But while Xander already left the room, the blonde Slayer stood still in front of Giles, a half-smile on her lips, a hopeful light in her eyes.
"Maybe I can sleep here? In the armchair?"
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The sweet light of a generous sun was beaming through half-drawn curtains when Buffy opened her eyes. She stretched her stiffened legs and straightened her sore neck, because of the few hours she had just slept, hunched in an armchair near Tara's bed. Giles had finally let her sleep there as she had stubbornly asked until he gave in. The former Watcher had just leave to get some rest in his own room a few moments before.
The Slayer turned to the bed. Tara was still sleeping. She seemed calm. Buffy had had a lot of trouble to fall asleep the night before, as her friend seemed to be prey to terrible nightmares. Buffy remembered having bad dreams for weeks after her resurrection. But she couldn't remember something as violent as those shaking the witch in her sleep. And it was only when Tara had a break that Buffy had been able to let herself slip into darkness.
The Slayer got up and walked some steps in the room to bring the circulation back to her legs. She came closer to the window quietly, being really careful not to wake the witch up. She leant against the window and looked outside. It was a beautiful day. Buffy couldn't help but smile. Even if she knew there would be difficulties on their roads, Tara was there, less than two feet from her. It could only be a beautiful day.
"B-Buffy?"
The Slayer turned around when she heard her name and saw the witch's blue eyes staring at her as she was sitting up slowly. Buffy smiled affectionately and came closer before sitting on the bed carefully.
"Hey" She whispered. "How are you?"
"F-Fine" Tara got out with some difficulties.
Buffy frowned when she heard Tara stuttering, something she couldn't remember the with doing long before her death.
"Do you need something?" she gently asked.
The blonde looked like she wavered and thought about what she could need. Buffy remembered then how hard it had been for her to focus on the simplest things at first and decided to help her a little.
"Something to drink? To eat? You must be hungry or thirsty"
Tara seemed to give it some thinking then nodded.
"I li… I like to drink plea-please"
Buffy smiled and got up to rush to the bathroom adjoining the room. She was back almost immediately with a glass of water. She sat back on the bed and handed the glass to Tara. The with took it carefully and sipped two teeny mouthfuls. Tara stretched her arm to put the glass on the nightstand and Buffy hurried to do it for her.
"Better?" the Slayer asked.
Tara nodded shyly. Then she looked away from Buffy to look at the window. Buffy saw her blink to the luminance before turning to her again. Tara leant against the wall behind her and closed her eyes. Buffy stared at her in silence. Tara's face didn't seem to be more rested or serene to her than the night before. She was still pale-faced and clenched jaw plastered a grin of pain or intense focus on her face. Buffy's eyes then went down from the crumpled face trough the witch's thin arms. The Slayer noticed Tara's fingers gripping nervously the sheet under her. Buffy moved her hand forward and put it gently on the witch's one. She jumped slightly to the contact and opened her eyes. Buffy offered an apologic smile and decided to ask the question burning her lips since the woman had awoken:
"Tara, do you…" she began, not knowing how to ask. "Do you know… Do you know what…"
"I do" Tara cut her almost abruptly.
She lowered her eyes immediately to her joined hands and resumed in a sweeter tone, so low that Buffy had to prick up her ears to hear her.
"They told me. They brought me back"
The Slayer felt her heart constricting violently in her chest when she heard the hint of anguish Tara had let escape. She wondered a second if Gideon and his minions could have maltreat her friend and a dull rage built up in her. She imagined herself turning up suddenly at the coven's to ask for an explanation, with an army of Slayers at her back if necessary. Tara's low voice brought her back to reality.
"I'm fine Buffy"
Buffy focused again on Tara who tried to show a reassuring look.
"What… what do you known?" The Slayer asked after a time.
Tara's face crumpled again and she looked down.
"It's been two years…" She whispered. "Xander and you came to see Gideon around a month ago. And I think I'm in Cleveland"
Buffy nodded.
"How did you get here?" she asked.
"A tele-teleporation spell I think"
"When? Do you know?"
Tara shook her head.
"No exactly. It's a little…a little bit blurred. I…I walked without really knowing where I was heading. And then… Then you were there"
The witch fell silent again and her eyes want back to her nervous hands. She wanted to say something and her mouth opened to talk but closed again without her actually saying something. Buffy wanted to ask new questions but her friend seemed to be prey to a big stress and the Slayer knew only to well that she probably didn't want to talk about what had happened to her right now. She then remained silent and waited. Tara struggled against herself for several minutes before finally deciding to ask Buffy some questions in her turn.
"Is… Is…"
She had a hard time to get the words out and Tara bit her lower lip, hating the shaking in her voice that prevented her to finish her sentence. Buffy put again her hand on the witch's one to urge her to go on.
"Is…" Tara resumed, as she tried to control herself. "Is Will…"
Buffy suddenly realized what Tara was trying to ask her and scolded herself for not anticipating her request.
"Yeah. She is. Willow is there. And she's fine. And you can see her soon. And…"
"And Dawn?" Tara interrupted.
Buffy's smile got wider to her sister's name.
"She's there too. And she'll be so happy to see you again. She missed you so much. We all missed you so much Tara"
Saying this, Buffy squeezed Tara's hand in hers a little harder than before. Both girls looked at each other for a moment in silence and Buffy realized all the things Tara didn't know, all the things that had changed during the last two years.
"Listen…" The Slayer began.
"I'd like to clean myself" Tara said suddenly.
Buffy stopped whatever she was ready to say and smiled again.
"Okay, okay, no problem" She answered.
"Simple things first" The Slayer scolded herself. "Rest can wait"
"I think you have everything you need in the bathroom" Buffy said to her friend. "I'm gonna help you, you're still weak"
Saying this, Buffy helped Tara to stand and the witch nodded. Buffy leaded her to the bathroom and checked that everything Tara would need was there. Then she sat Tara on the edge of the bathtub as she made water pour. When she was done, Buffy considered Tara's dirty and torn clothes.
"Have your bath, I'm gonna find some clean clothes for you to wear"
Tara nodded without saying anything and put her hand in the water to check the temperature. Buffy looked at her doing so and turned to the door.
"See you soon" she said simply.
When she was about to cross the threshold, Tara's voice hit her ears.
"Buffy"
The Slayer turned around and faced the witch again.
"Thank you" Tara said simply.
Buffy just smiled in response.
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Faith deeply sighed as she looked at the door in front of her. She turned to her right to see Andrew looking at her with an hesitant half-smile on his face.
"It's here" He said.
"I got it" Faith grumbled. "Thanks" She added.
They looked at each other without none of them moving, then finally Andrew understood she was waiting for him to leave.
"Well, good luck then" He said in an embarrassed tone as he left.
Faith watched him leaving without saying anything then looked again at the door. She put her hand on the doorknob, hesitated a last second then resolutely opened.
On the other side of the door, a dozen feet from Faith, was a big table. Four men and two women sat there. Giles was in the middle, Robin Wood beside him. Faith thought she already saw some of the others, but wasn't totally sure.
"Faith" Giles welcomed her in a benevolent voice. "We're happy to meet you. Please sit down"
Saying this, he stood and gestured to an armchair in front of the table. Faith obeyed and sat where she had been told. She felt herself extremely uneasy to be settled there, in front of eight people staring at her. She tried to hide her discomfort and to be as relaxed as she could but she was pretty sure they could her discomfort as clearly as her shirt's color.
"Faith" Giles resumed. "As I told you before, the council wants to meet you to evaluate with you your activities lately"
He fell silent and gestured to another man to go on. He was tall and black-haired and wore a beard. Faiths remembered having sometimes see him in the hotel's corridors but didn't remember his name.
"Miss Lehane" He began. "I'm gonna do a quick remainder of the last events related to you. You can correct me if I'm wrong about something"
He then looked at her expectantly, probably waiting for her to confirm. Seeing she had no reaction at all, he finally resumed, looking at a notebook in front of him.
"After your jailbreak, you came in Sunnydale with Miss Rosenberg where you took an active part in the battle and the victory over an entity called the First under Buffy's Summers' command. You had yourself lead the potentials for a time and the shared that responsibility with Miss Summers during a descent in the hellmouth."
He stopped and looked at Faith to see if she had something to say. As she was still silent, he resumed his monologue:
"After the victory and all the Slayers' awakening by Miss Rosenberg, you came to England with a false identity with Mr. Wood here to take part to the gathering and training of Slayers in London. Then you came back to Cleveland where you help was needed and take part to the groups missions for a time before fulfilling alone missions. Am I right?"
The man gazed at Faith again as he stopped talking. The Slayer jumped slightly when she noticed he was asking her something but nodded though. Satisfied, the man went on:
"Since then , you're staying away from the other Slayers, never taking part to the youngest Slayers training nor working with them. You turn down collective missions to fulfill just alone ones away from Cleveland."
Again, the man waited for Faith to nod. As she didn't react, a woman from the other of the table spoke in her turn.
"Miss Lehane, we are all perfectly aware of your…atypical career."
A steel glance fell on Faith and she suddenly felt even more ill-at-ease than before.
"We're not here to judge you or to dwell on the past in any way. But the council wants to be sure we can count on you. The Slayers awakening gives us all new responsibilities and duties and having you here would be helpful"
The woman fell silent to let her words sink in.
"We just want you to know we're counting on you Faith, to take the role that should be yours in our organization. Do you understand?"
Faith met the woman's gaze gain. The Slayer looked at the other members of the assemblage. All were looking at her with the same engaging smile.
"Faith" The woman resumed in a gentler tone. "We're all on the same side. But we expect more from you in the future"
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Buffy lightly knocked but didn't wait for an answer to open and run her head through the opening. Tara was sitting on the bed and was looking at her. Buffy came in and closed the door behind her.
"Are you feeling any better?"
The witch nodded.
"I do. Thank you. I-I slept all the time since your last visit. What-what time is it?"
"Nearly half past seven"
"Oh my God, I slept all day!" Tara exclaimed with an horrified look on her face.
Buffy came closer and she sat on the bed beside the witch.
"You needed this. Giles said you were totally exhausted. He thinks you walked for a long time and…"
Tara nodded and Buffy fell silent.
"I'm better"
"Good. What do you wanna eat? I'll someone bringing our dinner here. Xander should arrive too"
"Buffy, it's really nice from you but I'm fine. I can move"
"I think it'll be better if you stay here tonight" Buffy protested.
Tara shook her head.
"I'm fine, I promise"
Tara's clear blue eyes settled on the Slayer's face.
"Do…Do Dawn and Willow know that… I'm here?"
Buffy was caught out by the blunt of the question.
"Hum… No, not yet" She replied, a little embarrassed. "I thought it would be better to wait for you to be ready to tell them"
"I'm ready"
Tara's voice was firm and her gaze locked into Buffy's, determined.
"Are you feeling ready to see then?" Buffy gently repeated. "Are you sure?"
Tara nodded.
"Yes, please"
"Okay" Buffy said, nodding thoughtfully. "Okay. We're gonna see Dawn first if that's fine with you"
"Perfect"
"Can you walk? I'm gonna help."
Buffy stood up and helped Tara to get to her feet. The witch didn't have any evident difficulty but buffy nevertheless insisted to hold Tara by her waist during all their walk in the hotel's corridors.
It took them a few minutes to reach Dawn's room. Buffy gestured to Tara to wait on the side and knocked before opening her sister's door.
"Hey, Dawn"
The younger Summers looked up from the book she was reading and smiled to her sister.
"Buffy. I was wondering where you had disappeared. I think Will and Kennedy are about to go in search of you!"
She closed her book and put it on the nightstand as Buffy stepped forward in the room.
"You're acting weird lately" Dawn went on. "I…"
"Dawn" Buffy interrupted in a gently voice that made her sister shut up immediately. "I have something…"
She stopped and frowned.
"You were kidding right? About Will and Kennedy going in search of me?"
Dawn almost laughed.
"I was! But they would probably had if you haven't reappeared…"
"Good." Buffy resumed in the same tone as previously. "I was kinda busy, that's right. But you'll see it was for something really important. Something I wanna show you…"
Buffy looked at her sister and seeing her attention focused on her, she stepped back to the door and opened it wide. Tara's thin figure appeared in the doorstep and the witch offered a pale smile to the teenager.
Dawn's jaw and eyes opened wide and the young Summers put her hands in front of her mouth as she looked like unable to make another single muscle move.
"Oh my God" She managed to get out.
-------------------------------------------------------
"Oh my God"
Shock was obvious in the young Slayer's stance and she was staring at the young woman in front of her as she wanted to test in this face the reality of what was happening.
Tara stepped forward in the room, sketched a half-smile full of tenderness towards Dawn. And for the first time since they had found her in the cemetery, Buffy saw something else on her face than confusion or fear.
"Tara…" Dawn whispered and her voice faded away with the last syllable.
The young Summers stared at her sister, looking for an answer, for a confirmation. Buffy's benevolent gaze, her clouded eyes and her slight nod freed Dawn's petrified muscles. The teenager released her breath she was holding since the witch's appearance and threw herself brutally in her arms. Tara returned the hug with obvious pleasure, though oppressed by Dawn's sudden proximity.
Buffy watched the scene in silence, more touched than she would never admit and didn't intervene until after several minutes of choked sobbing in the witch's arms, Dawn finally stepped back and asked, not really addressing clearly Buffy nor Tara:
"How?"
Her questioning gaze went alternately from Buffy to Tara. Buffy came closer the two young woman who weren't totally apart yet and she took each of them by an arm.
"Let's sit please"
Tara and Dawn nodded and they crossed the distance to the bed, Dawn gripping Tara's arm as letting go of her even just for a sec could have made her disappear. They all sat on Dawn's bed and the teenager let naturally her head rest on Tara's shoulder while the witch was squeezing gently her hand. Buffy couldn't help but be touched by the scene and she needed some seconds to control her feelings and to begin:
"Dawn…"
But the Slayer couldn't go any further. There was the noise of stampede in the corridor, choked laughs and a grinning redhead storm bounced in the room, immediately followed by a dark-haired Slayer then by a totally out of breath young man.
"It's, it's unfair…I don't have your metabolism…" Xander said, half folded in two, trying desperately to regain his breath.
He stood up, surprised by the sudden silence around him and searched for Willow or Kennedy's gaze. The brunette Slayer looked alternately the trio near the bed and Willow with her brows furrowed. Willow had lost her smile and her happy mood from the instant before had vanished. Xander just had to turn slightly his head to what Willow was absent-mindedly staring at to understand her forever best friend's dazed state.
In front of her, Buffy was now up, looking worriedly at her. Tara had got up and her face was a storm of too many emotions to just name one. Dawn, still sitting, still holding Tara's hand, looked alternately to her sister and to both witches, understanding the solemnity of the moment. For a moment, it seemed to everyone that time had stopped passing by and had trapped them in those watching positions for ever.
And finally, it was Willow's choked, shaking, weak voice that broke the silence:
"Tara?"