A/N - This is a request fic for Boris Yeltsin who asked for an AU story where Tara's family, upon discovering her kissing another girl, moves the family to Sunnydale. Pairings include Tara/Willow, Buffy/Spike, and Faith/OC.

A word of warning. While the story does not go into abuse explicitly, homophobia and verbal abuse are both present throughout the story.

I hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think!

Prologue

The crisp air carried the early sting of fall, though the leaves had yet to change from their soft shades of green. Water lapped gently in the small pond on the very edge of the Maclay farm, a spot hidden from view of the white farmhouse nestled in a far corner of the property.

As Tara watched the ripples, nearly obscured by the dim twilight, she sighed in relief, the cloud of uncertainty which normally hung over her like a vulture abating. For as long as she could remember, this had been her spot. Her mother had shown it to her when she was young and life had been not nearly as complicated as it was now.

"What are you thinking about?" the girl sitting beside her asked.

In the poor lighting, Tara could not make out the specific features of the other girl. Yet she knew from years of familiarity that, had it been lighter, she would see large playful eyes and a gentle smile.

"Nothing important," she said, which was partially true. Constant ruminations of an unattainable past did nothing to ease the loss of those good memories. "My mind was just wandering."

The girl beside her nodded a little too knowingly but otherwise allowed the subject to drop, knowing too well exactly what it was that plagued Tara. "So how is Senior year going? I wish we had more classes together, we hardly get to see each other anymore." Her hand crept towards Tara's cautiously.

"It's only been a week Ashley." Tara said, though she knew she felt the same.

Grasping the offered hand in her own, she watched the way their fingers entwined. What had started as two strangers assigned a project together in middle school had grown into a friendship and was now teetering on the edge of something more.

It was both terrifying and exhilarating, the rush of new emotions. When they were together, she felt as if the world had become more vibrant, the lense through which she saw things finally adjusting for perfect clarity.

A night heron cawed from somewhere in the distance, far beyond the farm.

"I envy the birds," Ashley said. "They're free to just up and leave whenever a place doesn't suit them."

"It's not so bad here." Tara said without much conviction.

Ashley pulled her hand away slowly. "Not so bad?" She repeated, tone wobbling with disbelief. "If the rest of the town saw us right now, what would they think?"

Tara ducked her head, anxiety chewing its way hungrily through her gut at the prospect of an argument. "But they don't see us. That's why we meet here."

Ashley sighed, flopping back. "That's the whole problem. I don't want to hide Tara. I want to share food together at the diner. I want to hold your hand even when other people can see us. I want to kiss-"

"Kiss?" Tara repeated, looking over sharply.

That was the first time anything like that had ever been uttered between them. Their exchanges were usually kept on the safe side as, even alone, neither could shake the fear of being found out. For Ashley to admit so boldly her wants…

"Why not?" Ashley continued, propped up on her elbows to survey the other girl. "Do you not want to?"

Oh Tara wanted to all right. It had been a dream, the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel which spurred her on even during the darkest of moments. But once again, fear was flowing through her.

"Ashley, th-that's no-not the poi-point," she stuttered out.

The return of her speech impediment was enough to silence the other girl, who rocked back into a sitting position.

Taking a few deep breaths, Tara was able to get her voice back under control as she continued, "It's too big a risk. I don't want you to have problems with your family." There was no reason for Tara to be worried about her own family, that situation could hardly get any worse. "We're almost out of here. It's just one more year of pretending and then we can go away to wherever you want."

Ashley contemplated these words, head cocking as she thought. "Oh Tara, I don't care about all that. I care about you." And she leaned forward without abandonment, planting her lips against the blonde's own.

Tara could not react for a moment, the suddenness of such a bold action flooring her, but slowly her surprise was replaced by something else, something warm which spread through to her extremities.

Unsure what exactly to do, she returned the gentle pressure, noses bumping together. For a few moments, they adjusted their positions, unwilling to part now they had established a connection.

It was new and wonderful and Tara was sure no feeling could ever top this one. She had reached the pinnacle of feeling, of that she was certain.

"Oh boy, Dad's gonna have a heart attack," a masculine voice sneered.

The two girls broke apart but could do no more, terror paralysing them.

In the patchy light created by clouds obscuring the moon, Tara was able to recognize the man talking to be her elder brother.

"Peter," she gasped, quickly rising.

How much had he heard? How much had he seen?

Peter laughed, the malicious lilt devoid of warmth. "Who would've thought you would be the one tainted by sin? Now c'mon, let's go and see how Dad feels about all this." He gripped Tara's arm with bruising force and began to drag her away.

"Tara!" Ashley grabbed her other arm. "You bastard! Let her go."

"Affairs of the family don't concern you." Peter glowered as he wrenched Tara free of the other girl. "Both of you are damned!"

Tara could just hardly see through her tears. She pulled desperately to escape but her brother was far stronger, years of farm work leaving him all hard muscle.

"As-ashley it-it's o-o-okay," her stutter was so intense, she could hardly understand what she was saying.

The other girl shook her head doggedly and Tara, realizing it was the only way to ensure the safety of her friend, allowed her brother to drag her away from the pond. Despite her lack of resistance, she could not help the tears which fell freely, boiling her skin with their fiery trails.

"You know, now we have to move. Dad won't want the family reputation destroyed by your disgusting urges," Peter manhandled her over the wooden fence near the farmhouse, showing no concern when her dress caught on the rough wood and tore.

Tara said nothing, the hurt and fear warring inside her threatening to spill out in hysterical screams. Dimly she was aware, as her brother kicked open the kitchen door and tossed her onto the floor, that life as she knew it was officially over.