AN: This is the last part. enjoy.
Part 5
Tara's first thought was Willow was still asleep but she could see the concentration on the red heads face.
She was lying on her front, arms wrapped around her stomach. The pain was ripping her up again and she was trying to fight it off.
Tara rushed towards Willow, sat down beside her and moved her messy hair from her face.
"Will?" She asked softly, only recieving a weak cry.
"Stop fighting it." She said soothingly.
Tara knew her soulmate was using double the energy trying to fight the pain back.
Willow gradually let go, trusting in Tara's instuction. Tears crept down her cheeks and she finally opened her eyes to look into the blue eyes of the woman she loved.
The range of emotions Tara could see and feel in Willow broguht tears to her eyes. She stopped holding back
She lay down next to Willow and carefully gathered the love of her life in her arms. She'd wanted so much to hold Willow last night ut she couldn't bring herself to do it.
As a shocked but preoccupied Willow snuggled into the blondes side, she kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back in a calming motion. Just like she had after Buffy died.
She held Willow every night, soothing her to sleep after she had cried herself out. She would put on a strong front during the day for Dawn, Xander, Giles even Anya and Spike, but at night she was Tara's and she was sensitive and grieving Willow. She ried every night until they brought her back, the grieving was never ending.
It had killed Tara to see her girlfriend that way every night. She had considered using magick to ease Willow's suffering, only she didn't because her mom had brought her up to follow, respect and fear the wiccan rede. Willow hadn't been brought up around magick. She had discovered her immense power practically over night. She had taught herselfand she didn't know the protocol. In that moment Tara felt some clarity in her understanding.
Tara loved this woman with all her heart and soul. It wasn't right or healthy for either of them to be apart. They belonged together like all soulmates.
************
Xander rushed into the summers house, followed by a sluggish anya. He stopped dead at the entrance to the living room. "Oh god, Dawn. Are you ok?"
Dawn gave him a sympathetic smile, "I'm fine, just a little sore."
Anya bushed passed her fiance and sat down next to Dawn, putting her feet on the table she focussed on the tv. "I know how you feel. My shoulder was dislocated because of you." She said as bluntly as usual.
They all stared at her for a moment before moving on.
"Where's Willow? Is she ok?" Xander questioned.
Buffy stood up and took him through to the kitchen. "She's up in her room, asleep I think. Tara is with her." The slayer answered.
Xander's face wrinkled in confusion. "Tara?"
Buffy nodded unable to stop a grin flashing on her face.
"Not that I'm not happy, Buff, but huh?!"
"Last night I'd just finished talking to Willow and taking a time out, when Tara shows up at the doo and she was scary. I mean really intimidating, demanding to know where Willow was. Turns out they've got some connection mojo. Tara can feel what Willow does."
"So there back together?"
Buffy began to pace, "I don't know. I mean we know how much Willow loves her but she's terrified Tara doesn't love her anymore. I had a talk with Tara as well. I was worried, she was being supporto gal for Willow and Dawn but she's pretty hurt. She loves Willow but doesn't know if she'd be doing the right thing getting back together..."
"But they will." Xander finished.
Buffy nodded, "I think so. I hope so. They need each other, especially now. Willow is going through a lot right now, physically and mentally. Don't panic when you see her." Buffy warned.
Xander's heart stopped, "What do you mean?"
Buffy through her hands up and let them drop. "She looks like hell, feels like it. She's going through withdrawl, Xander, it's not easy."
Xander sighed and ran his hand over his head. "god, how did we let this happen? Why didn't I see this coming? You know why this happened? Cause we've been ignoring each other, not dealing with things. From now on, we kno everything, just like before, except for when we're hiding things like Angel or Cordelia or being gay. But no more, we will live in each others pockets if thats what it takes!"
Buffy put her hands on his shoulders, "Whoa there. This might not be down to our friend status lately, whch has been lacking somewhat, so maybe it is and now your making me do it." She said giving him panic eyes.
Xander paced opposite Buffy, "Ok, we need to calm down. Breath. Calm. Collected." He said as they gradually stopped pacing.
"You cool?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah."
"Ok... what do we do now?"
"...Pace?"
"Uh huh."
***********
Willow was suddenly aware of her surroundings again.
She felt like death had used her as a practise toy. She kept still, scared of what pain moving might cause, but there wasn't pain. Well, there was but there was warmth and comfort.
She recognised the touch, the gentle patterns being traced on the small of her back.
It meant one thing... Tara.
"Are you awake?" Tara's gentle voice broke her thoughts.
She cautiously opened one eye, scared that it would all be a dream.
"I'll take that as a yes." she said with that awkward humour in her voice.
She had waited nearly an hour for Willow to wake up and when she felt the red heads breathing change, half of her wanted Willow awake, the other half was terrified and hoped she'd keep sleeping.
Willow found herself lost in Tara's deep blue eyes then paranoia struck her. She weakly moved out of Tara's arms altough it practically brought tears to her eyes. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking... Or capable, so I wouldn't have latched on otherwise. "She apologized.
"N-no, you didn't... I..." Tara gave up on verbal communication and pulled a stunned Willow into her arms again.
"Tara?" Willow asked with tears in her voice.
Tara knew her voice wasn't going to cooperate so she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her soul mates lips.
Both knew it spoke more than words ever could.
Willow felt the gaping hole in her soul fill again, with Tara.
The blonde felt comfortable and complete, Willow made her feel.
They both understood the long, slow and hard road ahead of them but then they were together, and together they could face whatever lay ahead.
Part 5
Tara's first thought was Willow was still asleep but she could see the concentration on the red heads face.
She was lying on her front, arms wrapped around her stomach. The pain was ripping her up again and she was trying to fight it off.
Tara rushed towards Willow, sat down beside her and moved her messy hair from her face.
"Will?" She asked softly, only recieving a weak cry.
"Stop fighting it." She said soothingly.
Tara knew her soulmate was using double the energy trying to fight the pain back.
Willow gradually let go, trusting in Tara's instuction. Tears crept down her cheeks and she finally opened her eyes to look into the blue eyes of the woman she loved.
The range of emotions Tara could see and feel in Willow broguht tears to her eyes. She stopped holding back
She lay down next to Willow and carefully gathered the love of her life in her arms. She'd wanted so much to hold Willow last night ut she couldn't bring herself to do it.
As a shocked but preoccupied Willow snuggled into the blondes side, she kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back in a calming motion. Just like she had after Buffy died.
She held Willow every night, soothing her to sleep after she had cried herself out. She would put on a strong front during the day for Dawn, Xander, Giles even Anya and Spike, but at night she was Tara's and she was sensitive and grieving Willow. She ried every night until they brought her back, the grieving was never ending.
It had killed Tara to see her girlfriend that way every night. She had considered using magick to ease Willow's suffering, only she didn't because her mom had brought her up to follow, respect and fear the wiccan rede. Willow hadn't been brought up around magick. She had discovered her immense power practically over night. She had taught herselfand she didn't know the protocol. In that moment Tara felt some clarity in her understanding.
Tara loved this woman with all her heart and soul. It wasn't right or healthy for either of them to be apart. They belonged together like all soulmates.
************
Xander rushed into the summers house, followed by a sluggish anya. He stopped dead at the entrance to the living room. "Oh god, Dawn. Are you ok?"
Dawn gave him a sympathetic smile, "I'm fine, just a little sore."
Anya bushed passed her fiance and sat down next to Dawn, putting her feet on the table she focussed on the tv. "I know how you feel. My shoulder was dislocated because of you." She said as bluntly as usual.
They all stared at her for a moment before moving on.
"Where's Willow? Is she ok?" Xander questioned.
Buffy stood up and took him through to the kitchen. "She's up in her room, asleep I think. Tara is with her." The slayer answered.
Xander's face wrinkled in confusion. "Tara?"
Buffy nodded unable to stop a grin flashing on her face.
"Not that I'm not happy, Buff, but huh?!"
"Last night I'd just finished talking to Willow and taking a time out, when Tara shows up at the doo and she was scary. I mean really intimidating, demanding to know where Willow was. Turns out they've got some connection mojo. Tara can feel what Willow does."
"So there back together?"
Buffy began to pace, "I don't know. I mean we know how much Willow loves her but she's terrified Tara doesn't love her anymore. I had a talk with Tara as well. I was worried, she was being supporto gal for Willow and Dawn but she's pretty hurt. She loves Willow but doesn't know if she'd be doing the right thing getting back together..."
"But they will." Xander finished.
Buffy nodded, "I think so. I hope so. They need each other, especially now. Willow is going through a lot right now, physically and mentally. Don't panic when you see her." Buffy warned.
Xander's heart stopped, "What do you mean?"
Buffy through her hands up and let them drop. "She looks like hell, feels like it. She's going through withdrawl, Xander, it's not easy."
Xander sighed and ran his hand over his head. "god, how did we let this happen? Why didn't I see this coming? You know why this happened? Cause we've been ignoring each other, not dealing with things. From now on, we kno everything, just like before, except for when we're hiding things like Angel or Cordelia or being gay. But no more, we will live in each others pockets if thats what it takes!"
Buffy put her hands on his shoulders, "Whoa there. This might not be down to our friend status lately, whch has been lacking somewhat, so maybe it is and now your making me do it." She said giving him panic eyes.
Xander paced opposite Buffy, "Ok, we need to calm down. Breath. Calm. Collected." He said as they gradually stopped pacing.
"You cool?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah."
"Ok... what do we do now?"
"...Pace?"
"Uh huh."
***********
Willow was suddenly aware of her surroundings again.
She felt like death had used her as a practise toy. She kept still, scared of what pain moving might cause, but there wasn't pain. Well, there was but there was warmth and comfort.
She recognised the touch, the gentle patterns being traced on the small of her back.
It meant one thing... Tara.
"Are you awake?" Tara's gentle voice broke her thoughts.
She cautiously opened one eye, scared that it would all be a dream.
"I'll take that as a yes." she said with that awkward humour in her voice.
She had waited nearly an hour for Willow to wake up and when she felt the red heads breathing change, half of her wanted Willow awake, the other half was terrified and hoped she'd keep sleeping.
Willow found herself lost in Tara's deep blue eyes then paranoia struck her. She weakly moved out of Tara's arms altough it practically brought tears to her eyes. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking... Or capable, so I wouldn't have latched on otherwise. "She apologized.
"N-no, you didn't... I..." Tara gave up on verbal communication and pulled a stunned Willow into her arms again.
"Tara?" Willow asked with tears in her voice.
Tara knew her voice wasn't going to cooperate so she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her soul mates lips.
Both knew it spoke more than words ever could.
Willow felt the gaping hole in her soul fill again, with Tara.
The blonde felt comfortable and complete, Willow made her feel.
They both understood the long, slow and hard road ahead of them but then they were together, and together they could face whatever lay ahead.