Chapter Three: "I'm Sorry"
Buffy, Xander, and Willow all exited the Bronze feeling confused and partially annoyed. Tara and Jesse hadn't returned since Jesse had offered to check on Tara. It had left Willow worried, Xander confused, and Buffy annoyed. She knew she didn't know Tara and Jesse well, but she was starting to suspect something about the two friends.
As they walked outside, the were surprised to see the ambulance at the back of the ally. They could see the cops talking to someone, but the person was hidden behind there tall frame. Willow was saddened by the sight of a body bag being placed into the back of the ambulance.
"What happened?" Xander asked, looking at Willow and Buffy.
"I don't know," Buffy said, walking towards the crime and causing Xander and Willow to exchange a confused look before following her into the crowded ally.
"Donny!" Xander called out, seeing Tara's older brother among the other police officers on the scene.
Donny's head came up as he looked around. When his blue eyes locked on the three friends he made his way over to them. Willow was surprised to see Donny's normally well kempt brown hair looked messy as though he ran his hands through it repeatedly.
"What's going on?" Xander asked when Donny stopped before them.
"A mugger shot and killed someone," Donny explained briefly, looking around the scene.
"Who?" Buffy asked, looking at him in surprise.
"I don't know. I showed up a couple of minutes ago. They requested for me and Dad to come because they said it's important. No one told us anything else," he said, looking confused.
"Oh god," Willow whispered, her eyes widening in horror. "Tara," she whispered, her voice breaking as she said the name.
"I'm sure Tara's fine," Buffy told Willow, looking at her friend. "Jesse probably just took her home."
"And left her purse at the Bronze?" Xander asked, looking at Buffy in disbelief.
Donny frowned as he looked at them. "It'd make sense, but the person who was killed was a sixteen year old Caucasian male."
"Jesse..." Willow started but Xander covered her mouth.
"Don't say it, Will. Don't even think it. I'm sure their both fine," Xander said, frowning as he realized Willow could be right. "Here. We'll call them." Xander slowly pulled his phone from his pocket, dialing Jesse's number.
As Xander listened to the phone connect and start ringing on his end, Willow and Buffy looked up at the sound of the very familiar ring tone coming from the distance. They quickly followed the sound, leaving Donny standing there trying to find out more information. "Xand," Buffy whispered sadly, pointing in the direction of the ringing phone.
"It doesn't mean nothing," Xander said desperately, ignoring Buffy's words.
"Tara?" Willow whispered, seeing the brunette's hunched form as the crowd parted some. Willow took in the sight of the girl and frowned at the blood on her hands. "Oh god, Tara," Willow whispered, rushing forward to her friend.
As Willow came to the brunette's side, she saw the tears slowly sliding down Tara's face and the empty eyes staring into nothingness. "Tara?" Willow whispered, surprised by what she was seeing.
When Tara didn't respond, Willow reached out to touch her, but stopped when a sob escaped Tara's throat. Willow stared at her friend as Xander and Buffy made their way over to Willow's side.
"Tara, is Jesse...?" Xander started to ask but stopped when Tara's empty eyes lifted to his. "Is he...?"
Willow looked at him and then back down at Tara, surprised to see Jesse's phone beside her. "Xand," Willow whispered, pointing to the phone.
"No..." Xander said, his eyes filling with tears.
"Tara!" a voice called out, causing everyone to turn their heads and watch as Chief Maclay rushed towards his daughter, who was sitting and staring blankly at Xander. "Tara?" he whispered, pulling his broken daughter in his arms.
His pale blue eyes were full of unshed tears as he held his daughter for a few moments in silence before looking at the three teenagers in standing near her. "What happened?" he asked, his voice full of authority.
"We don't know. We were inside. Tara said she needed air and came out. Jesse and I came out to check on her, but she was upset with me for some reason. Jesse stayed out to talk with her and sent me back inside," Willow explained, trying to keep her nervous babble under control as she explained to the Chief of Police, who was also Tara's father.
"Tara?" her father said softly, looking down at her daughter. "What happened?" When Tara didn't respond, he gently knelt down in front of her, looking into her eyes. "Tara?"
"Daddy?" Tara whispered, her voice broken and confused.
"Baby, what happened?" he asked, softly once more, running a hand through his thinning gray hair.
"Jesse's dead," she told him, looking down at the blood on her hands. "Daddy...Jesse's dead."
Xander, Buffy and Willow all looked at Tara for a few moments in silence until Xander broke it. "No. No, he can't be," Xander said, looking at her. "Tara, he can't be dead."
"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry, Daddy," Tara cried, before leaning forward and breaking down curling in on herself as she felt her whole body break. Constantly repeating "I'm sorry" to no one in particular.
Chief Maclay looked at the three friends as he pulled his daughter to them. "Find Donny and tell him to call his mother. Tara needs her right now," he told them, watching as Buffy and Xander disappeared. "Willow, she needs some time away from her friends," he explained, watching the redhead.
Willow nodded and walked off, going to help her friends find Tara's brother.
A/N: Don't hate me for this chapter. Writing a sad Tara was hard for me too. I understand why Joss Whedon likes to make his characters sad though. It's more interesting to write. Thanks to Gimpy72 for all the help with this story. Enjoy the depressing chapters still to come.