Tara's hospital room – Early AM
Tara opens her eyes slowly, she feels well rested – more so then she has felt in a while. Through the window she can tell that the world is still very much dead outside, the darkness of night traversing through the window. The room rests in near darkness aside from the beam of line coming from under the door that leads into the corridor, along with the silvery castings of the moon through the window. Tara sits in the hospital room in a muted hush, a cold breeze rolls through the room, goose-bumps rising up on her arms as chills move over her body. Tara shivers in the cold and prepares to manoeuvre the blanket up and over her shoulder. She peers down to find where the top of the blanket sets, however; she is stopped by a sleeping Willow whose head rests on the top of the blanket next to where Tara's hand was resting earlier. She'll remain chilly for tonight.
"Baby?" Tara whispers quietly and starts to stroke Willows hair softly. "W-what happened to me? I'm so scared."
From beneath Tara's stroking hand Willow stirs awake. She slowly raises her body from the bed and rubs her eyes with the back of her hand and then wipes away some drool from her lip. "Tara?" She questions wearily.
"Will? Baby?" Tara exclaims.
"Tara? Are you back, Baby?" Willow asks, her eyes filling with tears.
"I felt so lost, Will. Where have I been?" Tara asks, tears flowing down over her cheeks.
Willow leans forward into Tara's lap and releases a whole range of emotions; Tara sits in silence stroking Willow's hair as she cries. Eventually Willow gets up from Tara's lap and looks deep into her eyes, the familiarity and life back in them like before all this happened in what felt like a lifetime ago.
"I miss you so much, Baby!" Willow exclaims placing her hand on either side of cheeks before leaning in for a kiss, Tara leans in to meet her and their lips met. "Where did you go to?" Willow whispers silently into the night.
Willow lies with her eyes closed and listens around the room. From outside the window the birds are singing their happy songs, from outside the door – in the corridor – Willow can hear the hospital buzzing as though full of life. Willow sits up, opens her eyes and finds her hand being grasped tightly by Tara's; she tries to move from the reticulated grip carefully before setting back in the chair. She admires the constant rise and fall of Tara's chest, thanking the god for not stealing her away. She smiles to herself at the recollection of their life together and the future that they share, and eventually she closes her eyes and drifts back into the unconscious world of sleep.
I stand opposite the beauty that is Tara. She peers across at me and sexily pushes her hair behind her ear, smiling at me as she does so, teasing me with her eyes. Looking back over the last couple of months I feign a wonder of how I ever let her go without more of a fight. I guess that I was being selfish – I couldn't see past my lust for magic. When she threatened to leave I hurt so much inside I just wanted her to stay – I betrayed her. She was right to leave – I guess the old saying is true, 'If you love something set it fee... If it comes back then it is yours, if it does not, then it never was'. I guess Tara will always be mines, and I hers. Now standing here together like the last few months never even happened, we are both happy – a small hole in my heart is now filled again, and I am full of elation.
BANG!
"Your shirt?!" Tara exclaims before collapsing to the ground in a bloodied heap.
"Tara, Baby?" I cry as she lies limp in my arms, my inside rotting and going black as the best part of my life dies in my arms. "Osiris, bring her back!" I shout. "Bring her back to me!"
Tara shakes Willow rapidly and Willow awakes from her nightmare.
"W-Willow, Are- Are you okay?" Tara asks in utmost terror as she looks petrified at Willow.
Looking at Willow her eyes were Jet-black and veins where protruding out of her forehead. The roots of her hair had turned black too and she was shaking all over.
Willow stares almost blankly at Tara before bringing up her knees to her chest where she begins to cry with no end in sight.
"W-Willow? Pl-Please don't cry." Tara pleaded.
Willow looks up at Tara, her eyes slowly fading back to their normal irresistible emerald green and her hair fades back to its normal coppery colouring too, her veins fading with every second. "I'm sorry." She simply states, addressing Tara directly.
"W-What for?" Tara asks.
"For not saving you." Willow almost whispers before retreating into her knees for another bout of crying.
"I'm still here, W-Willow. It was just a-a dream." Tara states matter of factly.
Willow peers up again to look at Tara, her eyes innocently looking back, this wasn't her Tara, this was past Tara, this was forget everything that ever happening Tara, this was forget Willow Tara.
"Why?" Willow whispers under her breath. "Why me!"
"Wh-What happened to you Willow? You-You were so sc-scary." Tara asked.
"A piece of the darkness got me again. I-I was having a dream and-and you died."
"Who-Who's Osiris?" Tara enquired.
"He is magic – He brings people back to life." Willow stoops her head ashamed.
"Tha-Thats evil! Th-That is not right!" Tara snaps back utterly shocked. "Why would you even..." She pauses for a moment. "N-No, not for me! Y-You didn't bring me back, d-did you?"
Willow looks at Tara her eyes streaming with tears as they moisten her cheeks she goes to grab Tara's hand but Tara pulls back from her grasp, a pure look of disgust on her face.
"I didn't." Willow replied looking her back dead in the eyes. "I didn't, but I would have!" She snaps back. "It is what you do for the person you love! It is what you do for your whole life!"
A rage boils in Tara's eyes, "No, you don't! You mourn for that person and move on! You don't commit the ungodly and bring them back for your own selfish gain!" Tears begin to fall from Tara's eyes as she shout at Willow, a pain panging in her heart as she looks at the stranger with a strong magnetic connection deep within her heart.
Willow looks at Tara – the innocent teenager looks back at her, anger fuelled inside her eyes. Willow stands and Tara's eyebrows furrow together as Willow approaches the door.
"That's not what you said about your mom..." She stated before exiting brashly.
Buffy's hospital room – Mid Morning
Willow knew she shouldn't have said anything, even as the words drained out her mouth. She had gone too far, again. The difference being this time Tara could not come about forgiving her because Tara felt nothing towards Willow meaning the arguments were real and not just some lover quarrel. Willow makes her way down the corridor and knocks on Buffy's door before opening it slowly.
"Hey, Will. How..." Buffy pauses and looks up at Willow, her eyes red and puffy as more tears fall over her cheeks. Willow slowly makes her way over to Buffy before collapsing on the chair next to her.
"Everything is going to be fine, Will. Whatever has happened, Will, we'll sort it out." Buffy explains truthfully.
Willow holds her hand out and Buffy takes it comfortingly. Willow seem to just cry out every single emotion she has ever felt in her life whilst Buffy watches and comforts from the sidelines.
Tara stares at the hospital room door waiting for Willow to talk back in – she doesn't. Eventually Tara picks up the diary and begins to read. A couple of entries were just updating information about Willow and the Scooby's; although nothing seemed to click. However; when he reached one entry her mind seemed to be activated by constant memories, of which some were painful, the others were wonderful.
Dearest Mom,
Today my heart seemed to get ripped out of my chest. I was at the Scooby meeting at Giles' with Willow and the rest of the gang when a guy shows up. Oz. I had hoped that I had prepared enough not to get so hurt, but it hurts so much. I knew that if Oz ever came back into the picture Willow would go back to him, I hadn't really expected anything less. I do, however; wished that it had not been so soon. As soon as I saw Willow's face when Oz entered I knew I couldn't handle it so I chicken out, made some stupid excuse and left. I skipped out on studying and crawled into the pit of despair, commonly referred to as my dorm room. Sitting in the chair in the corner, staring out the window not really seeing anything I have my knees pulled up to my chest, thinking back over everything, mulling everything over. I felt things getting really good between us and I even brought up about the can we could have together – could have had together. Even if Willow wasn't female inclined she had become a great friend, and I was slowly beginning to fall in love with her. I have got to stop writing this journal for tonight because I cannot fight with these emotions anymore, I must embrace them because I know I will be seeing more of them over the next few days.
Goodbye for now, Tara.
Tara peers up from the journal, her hand placed on her chest above her heart, a tear falling from her cheek as she remembers that morning clear as day. The way that Willow looked at Oz, the way that Oz looked back, the connection that joined them together. A small tear falls from her eye, she wipes it away and peers across at the door waiting for Willow to return, she doesn't. Tara peers down back at the journal, flicking to the next entry before reading.
Thank you for taking the time to read this update/story. I am truely sorry to any fans out there who were expecting quick updates, honestly I've had some writers block and haven't written anything in what feels like such a long time. I have recently finished college and am currently looking for a full time job. This is just a short chapter to help get my ball rolling ,hopefully get another chapter within a week or so :) Enjoy. Matash21