Chapter 4

Buffy heard Willows scream and bolted off the couch and up the stairs to where her best friend was sleeping. She entered the room to find Willow cowering in a corner of the bed shaking and sobbing.

"Willow," Buffy said receiving no answer or acknowledgement from the redhead that she had even heard her. "Wills," she tried again, but still received no response. She wasn't sure if approaching the redhead would be the best idea until she knew that she had her attention.

Xander and Giles quickly made their way up the stairs and were standing in the doorway watching the events unfold.

"Buffy, is she alright," asked Giles very concerned about what could have made the Slayer bolt out of the room and up here.

"I don't know Giles," said Buffy her eyes never leaving Willow.

"What the hell happened," asked Xander?

"I don't know, while we were talking I suddenly heard Willow scream Tara's name so I got up here as quick as I could. Once I got into the room this is how I found her. She isn't responding, I don't even know if she knows I'm here," said Buffy.

"Willow," Giles said in his soft voice, but received no response. He moved into the room closer to where the frail body was. Giles saw her shaking and the tears rolling down her face. He started to move closer and she pulled back further into the corner.

"Willow, it's me, Xander. Can I come over to the bed by you?"

There was no answer, no movement from the redhead on the bed. He moved closer and slowly sat down on the end of the bed, Willow pulled herself into a smaller ball.

"Willow, we love you and we want to help," Xander said reaching an arm out towards her and hearing a strangled whimper or cry escape her body. He pulled his arm back and watched to see if there was any reaction from her, there was nothing. He got up feeling defeated.

"Why don't you guys go out in the hall and let me see if I can get closer, or find out what is going on," said Buffy broken-hearted.

"What's going on," asked Dawn entering the room and seeing Willow cowering in the corner and the concerned look on everyone's face.

"Dawnie," came a barely audible whisper from the where Willow was. At that sound everyone snapped their head to look at the teen.

"What's going on?" she asked again.

"Willow screamed out Tara's name and by the time we got up here she was like this," Buffy said motioning towards Willow. "She hadn't said a word until you came in, she only cowered further into the back corner of the bed."

"Well, why don't you guys leave and I'll try to get closer to her," offered the teen.

"I don't know that I feel comfortable with that," said Buffy.

"I think we have to try it, look at her Buffy," said Xander pointing to Willow

"I have to agree with Xander. It looks like the only option we have, Dawn is the only person to evoke any reaction from her," said Giles.

"Fine, but I will be RIGHT outside the door," said Buffy.

The three adults left the room closing the door quietly behind them.

"Willow," Dawn said cautiously moving towards the bed.

"Dawnie," she heard whispered again.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm alone; it is just the two of us."

Dawn finally got to the bed and when the moonlight hit Willow's face she could see the fear and tears. She moved a bit more to make sure she was close enough for Willow to see it was here, but far enough away so that Willow wouldn't feel threatened. She watched intently as Willow watched her, she was watching her, almost as if she were trying to figure out if she were really there or not.

"Dawn," Willow said again this time slightly turning her head to the teen.

"Yeah Will, it's me," she said holding her hand out towards Willow.

Willow watched this, inside her was battling the urge to reach out and touch the girl. 'What if she isn't real, what if I'm still dreaming,' she thought to herself. 'I don't think I can take it if she isn't real, if this is still a dream. Warren can't have Tara, he has to take me, I am the one that deserves it…'

Dawn sat quietly and watched the internal war raging within Willow. She wished there was something that she could do that would help the redhead, but she didn't have any idea of anything that would help. She was afraid to move closer and afraid to reach out towards the redhead any further because she didn't want to frighten her any more than she already was.

"Help me," squeaked Willow as she curled further into a ball and the shaking became more violent. Willow was almost thrashing at this point and close to hitting her head on the headboard and wall.

Dawn couldn't sit by and watch this any further, she lunged for the redhead and wrapped her tight in her arms and held her as close as she could.

"Buffy get in here now," she called deeply frightened by what was happening to Willow. Buffy burst through the door to find her sister holding the still violently thrashing and crying girl.

"Dawn, what happened?" asked Buffy.

"She said help me and then started to thrash harder, I was afraid she was going to hurt herself she was coming so close to the headboard and wall. Buffy, what is going on? What is wrong with her," cried Dawn holding on to Willow with all her might.

"I don't know what is going on," Buffy said as she moved to the bed and took Willow into her arms and held her and Dawn close. The two of them had her pinned between them stopping her ability to thrash. The tears were still flowing like a waterfall down her face.

"Buffy," said Giles from the doorway.

Willow whimpered and tried to pull away at the sound of his voice.

"Giles get back. You and Xander need to close the door and wait for us to let you know it is ok to come in. I don't know what is going on, but she is trying to pull away from where you are."

"OK, we'll be in the hall," Giles said as Xander started to protest he closed the door.

"It's ok Will, they're gone. It is just you, me, and Dawn," Buffy said as she started to rock the redhead.

"He has her," whispered Willow in a very frightened tone.

"Who has who?" asked Buffy.

"Warren, he has Tara," Willow cried.

Buffy and Dawn exchanged looks, neither knowing where Willow would have gotten that idea and neither knew what to say to her.

"No, Willow, he doesn't. Tara died and is in heaven," said Dawn.

"No, they came to me in my sleep and he said that he was taking her to hell with him and they were going to wait there for me to join them," cried Willow.

"Willow, no, Tara would never be allowed out of heaven to go to hell with him. She was full of light and good. They wouldn't allow her out," said Buffy rocking the other two to try to comfort Willow.

"He said he was going to take her back with him and make her pay for some of my past deeds."

"Willow, there is no way that Warren or anyone can or will take Tara to hell. You have to believe me," pleaded Buffy. "Tara's mom, my mom, The Powers That Be, the Goddesses, all of them would keep her in heaven and make sure she was safe."

"No, Buffy, he has her. I have to find a way to help her."

"Willow, would it help you if we went back to the cemetery when it gets light out and you can see that Warren wasn't there and that she is safe?" asked Dawn her heart breaking listening to the guilt and fear in Willows voice..

"What if he's there?"

"Then you will have Buffy, Xander, Giles, and me to protect you and Tara if she shows up," offered Dawn.

"I don't want you guys in danger," said Willow.

"And we don't want you in danger nor do we want you believing that Tara is in hell. We will prove it to you, in the morning."

"Will someone stay with me tonight?" asked Willow.

"We both will," said Dawn.

"She's right. I am going to quickly go tell Giles and Xander what is going on and then we'll go to sleep," said Buffy.

"Thank you," said Willow her voice allowing them to hear how truly exhausted she was.

"Lay down and Dawn will stay with you until I get back. I will just be in the hall, so if you need me just call for me," said Buffy.

Willow and Dawn lay down, Dawn holding Willow as Buffy went out into the hall and told the others what was going on and that they are planning ongoing to the cemetery probably really early in the morning and they needed to be ready.

TBC…