Buffy paced the Great Hall. Kennedy looked at her worried. "Buff, what is it?"

Buffy stopped for a moment and looked at Kennedy. "Kennedy, I…"

The thought was cut off. Zaz and Mahzi entered the room. "Nessa is attending to Lenara. Willow is helping her. But Lenara has not woken up. Nessa suspects that because the locket was destroyed violently, she was overwhelmed."

Kennedy watched Buffy continue to pace. "Buff, she'll be fine. She'll wake up and you two will live happily ever after."

Buffy stopped midstride and began crying. "It's not going to work out that way Kennedy. You don't understand. You and I…we don't stand a chance."

Kennedy's face dropped. "What happened down there?"

"She sleeps." The conversation ended abruptly with Nessa entering the room. Nessa looked at Buffy. "Your friend Willow sits with my granddaughter. She will not leave her."

"I know." Buffy uttered.

"What is going on?" Kennedy asked.

Buffy turned and looked at Kennedy. "She won't leave her because she loves her. Lenara isn't Lenara anymore. Her locket was destroyed. She's…she's Tara." Buffy barely was able to finish her last words. Kennedy immediately slumped to the floor. Nessa looked at the two women.

"You know who she is?"

Kennedy and Buffy merely nodded.

Nessa continued, "Willow says nothing. She just holds her hand and weeps. Why?"

Buffy sighed. "Because she is Tara. She was our friend a few years ago. She and Willow were together. They are each other's great loves."

"No!" Kennedy sobbed.

Buffy turned and looked at the other Slayer. "Kennedy, I am sorry." Buffy looked back at Nessa. "Willow met Tara at a group meeting for Wiccans. They practiced magic together. Eventually she joined our group. Everything was fine for a while, but Willow started abusing her magic. Tara tried to help her, but they split apart. Willow went to a bad place. Eventually they got back together. But one day an enemy came to kill me. He shot me, and also ran away firing behind him. A stray bullet went through a window and killed Tara. Willow fell into blackness. She healed me and set out for revenge. She killed the man who shot Tara and decided to try and destroy the world. Our friend Xander eventually brought her back to us. She spent time with my Watcher and his coven to learn good magic again. She came back to us. Just in time to meet Kennedy and save the world again."

"Tara. My granddaughter." Nessa simply sighed. "Do you know what happened to her mother?"

"I am sorry Nessa. She passed away before we met Tara."

"Xana must have concealed her magically. But that should have broken when she died. Lenara, or Tara, she never had any idea that she was one of us?" Nessa asked.

"None. She thought she might have been a demon thanks to her mother's husband." Buffy answered.

"My daughter married?" Nessa was surprised.

"She did. But he was an unkind man. Tara does not feel anything for him. He wasn't good to either of them. Don't worry Nessa; we made sure he didn't bother her anymore." Buffy replied.

"Will you go and see her?" Nessa asked.

Buffy shook her head no. "I can't Nessa. Tara and Willow, that's a once in a lifetime thing."

"But you forget Buffy, she is also Lenara, and Lenara loves you." Kennedy chimed in.

"Get real Kennedy! It's Tara! And I know you don't want to hear this, but Willow and Tara belong together. Who are we? Get used to this feeling. Slayers apparently aren't supposed to be happy."

"So, you just give up? No way Buffy."

Buffy started screaming at Kennedy. "This will only end badly for the both of us! You don't think this is killing me? Yes I love Lenara. Of course I want to see her. But she is not just Lenara. She is Tara. And Willow loves Tara. And Kennedy I know you don't want to hear this, but Willow will choose Tara. You and I can't break that bond."

Kennedy railed, "You are a pathetic Slayer. You don't even fight? How can you not try? I love Willow. I can't just give up on that. Lenara loves you. You would walk away from her? How would that feel Buffy? Leaving her, knowing someone else was kissing her, touching her? Cause I will tell you right now, the thought of Willow with someone else is vile, whether it's Tara or not."

Buffy slumped. "What can I do?"

"Fight dammit! You told me weeks ago that you didn't come here to take an ass whipping, don't take one now. If we lose, then at least we won't have regrets. We will have tried." Kennedy pleaded.

Buffy nodded in ascent. Kennedy hugged the other Slayer. Nessa watched the interaction.

"You both are amazing women. Go and see your friends."

Buffy and Kennedy walked away. Zaz walked over to his grandmother, "Any idea how this will end?"

"No. I don't. Both Lenara and Willow love other people as well. This won't be easy for any of them."

Mahzi joined them both. "Gran, you should be resting too."

"I am fine child. The healing water worked well. And speaking of which, how is Pron?"

Zaz muttered, "Still in green, but refusing the animal blood we gave him. He is determined to starve himself."

Nessa shook her head. "I do not want him to die. We must figure this out."

"Gran, why? After everything he has done?" Mahzi asked.

"We were too late in saving your parents and Lenara's. This family has seen too much death. He is not lost to us entirely. We must try." Her answer was sincere.

Mahzi looked at Zaz and shrugged.

Willow sat next to Tara's bed, holding her hand. Her tears flowed freely.

"I can't believe this. You're alive Tara. Alive. You don't know how long I prayed for a miracle to bring you back to me. And here you are." Willow kissed Tara's hand. "I wish you would wake up soon. I really want to talk to you."

Tara's eyes fluttered. "W-w-willow?" came the weak response.

"Hey Tara. I'm here."

"Willow, it's you."

"Yep, it is sweetie. How are you feeling?"

"Tired, so tired."

"Rest Tara. We have plenty of time to talk once you are feeling up to it."

"B-b-buffy?"

Willow cringed. "She's here. Did you want me to get her?"

But Tara didn't respond. She had fallen asleep again. Willow let go of Tara's hand. She got up determined to find Buffy. She didn't have to go far. Buffy and Kennedy stood in the doorway. Willow motioned for them to go into the hallway. Willow looked at Buffy with tears in her eyes. "She asked for you."

"I know. We heard the whole thing."

Willow looked at Kennedy. "I'm sorry." Kennedy just looked at the ground and nodded.

"What are you going to do?" Willow asked Buffy desperately.

"I am going to let Lenara know I love her, and then I will let her decide."

Willow lashed out. "She isn't Lenara! She's Tara! My Tara!"

"Your Tara?" Kennedy screamed. "So what am I?"

Willow looked at Kennedy and her face softened. "Kennedy, I…I don't know what to say."

Kennedy fumed. "You always said it wasn't a competition. And now that you know she's alive, it really isn't?"

Willow touched Kennedy's arm. "I do love you."

"But…"

"Kennedy, this isn't easy."

"You love me. Please don't leave me. Be mine." Kennedy was shaking.

Willow touched Kennedy's face, and then enveloped her Slayer into a hug. "I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you."

"Too late."

"Kennedy, please. All of this is overwhelming right now."

Kennedy squeezed her girlfriend. "Please Willow."

Buffy looked at her friends. How had it come to this? Why could they never really be happy and find peace? Buffy sighed, "Will, I 'm going in to see Len…T…her."

Willow nodded still clinging to Kennedy.