Chapter Nine: Darkness Returns
Previously in Echoes In The Wind...
"Why do you want to protect me?" Tara wondered, staring at Willow.
"Because you remind me of someone I will always love," Willow admitted, looking into Tara's striking blue eyes.
"Who?" Tara asked, unable to withhold her curiosity from the witches words.
"Someone who was everything to me. Someone that I would have given up anything to be with them now, even my own life," Willow replied, her green eyes filling with sadness before the emotionless black covered them up.
"Who was she?" Tara whispered, watching in amazement as Willow's eye color changed.
"My soul mate."
Without saying another word, Willow slid back into the shadows, no longer wanting to continue this conversation. It hurt to much to talk to this Tara, especially about her own Tara. The two women were so different and yet so much the same.
When Willow arrived at her home, she walked into the backyard and stared at the memorial she had set up for her lost lover. She ran her hand over the engraved words before kneeling down before the stone.
"I'll be with you soon, Baby. One way or another we will be together again. In life or death," Willow whispered softly.
Walking into her home, Tara smiled slightly as she walked into through the house. "Mom? I'm home," she called out.
When silence answered her, Tara frowned as she looked into the kitchen and living room. Finding them empty, she made her way up the stairs. "Mom?" she said again, confused as she looked through the house.
Her mother was always home at this time, making dinner and cleaning the house before her father returned from work. "Mom?" Tara repeated, knocking on her mother's door and opening it.
Laying on the floor near the bedroom closet was Laura Maclay. "Mom!" Tara cried, before rushing over to her and checking for a pulse. Feeling one, Tara quickly ran to the phone and grabbed it, dialing 9-1-1 in a blind panic.
Hours seemed to pass as Tara paced back and forth, waiting for any news on her mother. Her father and brother had yet to show up, and Tara felt like she was going insane waiting alone. Thirty minutes after calling her father, Tara decided she couldn't take it anymore and called the one person she knew would be listening to her somehow. The one person who was always there when she was in trouble.
Willow? Waiting for a few moments in silence, Tara frowned as she started giving up hope before a familiar voice responded to her mind message.
Tara? What's wrong?
I need you right now. I'm scared, and I need someone, Tara admitted, relaxing a little at the sound of Willow's voice in her mind.
Where are you?
Responding to the dark witch, Tara waited in silence, resting her forehead on her hands as she sat in a chair. After a few moments, a hand rested on her shoulder, causing Tara to jump slightly. Looking up, Tara stared at an older man with graying brown hair and soft green eyes.
"Tara Maclay?" man asked, his green eyes staring down at her.
"Y-y-yes," Tara responded, feeling nervous.
"I wanted to let you know your mother is awake. You can see her now," he told her, giving her a soft smile.
"T-thank y-you," Tara whispered, before standing up and making her way to her mother's room.
Walking into her mother's room, Tara stared at her mother's fragile form, laying in the bed. She could see her mother's eyes were closed and her whole body looked weak. "Mom?" Tara muttered, watching as her mother slowly turned her head to look at her.
"Tara? Baby Girl, what are you doing here?"
"I found you, Mom. Are you okay? What did the doctor say?" Tara questioned, walking quickly to her mother's side.
"I'm fine, Sweetie. I just got dizzy," Laura told her, holding out her arms for her daughter.
"Really?" Tara asked, as tears streamed down her eyes as she fell into her mother's arms. "I was so scared, Mama. You were just laying there, and...I was so-so s-scared."
"Shh...I know, Baby. I know."
As mother and daughter held each other in comfort, neither heard the door open, revealing Willow standing in the doorway. "Are you alright?" Willow said softly, looking at Laura and Tara.
Turning to face the door, Laura looked at Willow in surprise. "Willow? What are you doing here?"
"I heard what happened. I came to make sure you were okay," Willow lied, looking at Tara before turning back to Laura. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I just passed out is all," Laura said, grateful that Willow was there.
Before Laura could express her thanks to the witch, the door flew open in anger. "What the hell do you think you're doing here? Get the hell away from my family before I call the law on you," Donald Maclay snapped, stepping towards Willow with his fist raised.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Willow warned, her voice going dangerously sweet as her black eyes hardened. "Pissing off a dark witch isn't the brightest idea, Mr. Maclay. After all, you saw what I can do before, and that was with Willow near the surface. What do you think will happen if I have full control over this body?"
"What the hell?" Donald muttered, stepping back from the dead eyes.
"Willow?"
Turning to the sound of her name, Dark Willow stared at Tara in silence. "I find this kind of ironic. You see, you're death set me free once before. And now? All she has to do is get anger or protective of you and I get set free once again. I wonder what happens if I kill you?"
A/N: Thank you Gimpy72 for betaing all my stories. Thanks for everyone who has been reading and reviewing. I appreciate it. I'm not sure how long this story will be. I could probably make this story really long if I wanted. I just need to decide how I want to end it.