Chapter Thirty-Three
"Never leave me"
A/N Just a reminder to say that if a scene has not been written then it's probably going to be the same. Except Spike would be in Buffy's room not the master because it's still Willow and Tara's room.
Sunnydale, the world without shrimp 2002
Whilst Willow was out at the butcher's the rest of the Scoobies mainly continued with their prospective jobs, Xander fixing the windows, Anya and Dawn wondering about food and money and all manner of other needs. Buffy left her room for a while, Spike was safe for now, and she couldn't feed him until Willow got back anyway. She was tired, a little run down from the lack of sleep. The house was busy, and the food wasn't coming cheap, even though she was working she still had problems to face and they weren't getting any better.
She'd stopped going to her classes, there just wasn't the time to study and try passing exams when she was busy working and defeating what evil threw at her. Willow and Tara were still studying though, and sometimes to Dawn for the night in their dorm when they were using it. Tara somehow still kept paying for that, she wasn't sure how, but it wasn't any of her business.
Walking through the house, Buffy ended up settling on the top of the staircase, a place she sat sometimes when the house was quiet as it gave her a view of the front door and the landing all at once. Her head leant against the creamy wall, a sigh floating from her mouth as the other blonde of the house came and sat beside her. Tara was careful as always, and gentle not to disturb Buffy, but Willow had asked her to just look in on her. See if she was ok. The redhead kinda understood there was some shared secret between them and thought she might open up to someone different.
Buffy's eyes were glassy as she turned towards Tara, who gave a warm half smile and looked down at her hands. "She asked you to talk to me, didn't she?" Buffy said quietly, knowing Willow all too well to know this wasn't unplanned.
Tara nodded her reply and put her hand on Buffy's shoulder, she was warm and comforting and that's what Buffy really needed, someone to rely on. When all was breaking in the world, she needed her friends. "Well, yes but I wouldn't be here if I didn't really care about you, about all of you. The Scooby corp." Tara realised then she must've started sounding like Willow because she stopped babbling before it got out of control. "Look Buffy, we're here, me and Willow all the time, just in there." Tara pointed towards her and Willow's room, "and I know you've heard it over and over but really it's true, we love you and we just wanna do what's best, make sure Buffy stays in top Buff form."
Buffy chuckled a little at her friend, they were now staring down the steps to the door. "You sound like Willow." Was the only thing she replied with but gave Tara a knowing smile that she really appreciated being cared for. Tara giggled a little, she knew she did, Willow seemed to be seeping through her now. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish between them at all when they were alone. They functioned like two halves, complimenting each other. But in company little bits seemed to shine through.
"I know, I'm going crazy, Willow-crazy. One day I might not be able to stop and then there'll be two of them." Buffy laughed harder now, suddenly remembering Willow's other self. It made her feel proud that Willow couldn't kill her, she had been so strong then and so strong now after claiming all that dark magic. Getting up to leave and face the group her feet tapped against a few steps before she turned back to comment on Tara's last statement.
"You know that did happen once, two Willows I mean, you'll have to ask her about it though." Tara's face almost fell in shock, no Willow most certainly hadn't told her this story. Two Willows, the endless possibilities.