A/N: Well, chapter 2. Should be the final one. I got a large hole to dig out of, though, so wish me luck!
Hopefully this isn't too bad. Not much really to explain here. There will be little to no spoilage here. The same angst warnings in chapter 1 apply.
Disclaimer: I don't think Joss et al. is dumb enough to waste his time on some lowly creature having fun with his world that he so obviously messed up, so I'm not going to say anything to save me from that. However, because I respect the owners of the site, I'd just like to mention that I got some of my information for this story, from www.buffyworld.com/. Thank you guys for your wonderful transcripts, even if the fight descriptions suck! :) For your happiness, there will be absolutely NO songs displayed in this story. I'll now cover my ears while the whole world shouts "Halleluiah!"
As always, a quick legend: Thoughts appear like this (A bit of Willow)
Chapter 2: Fairy Tales
By: David Armstrong AKA Leafsdude
As she heard the footsteps, Willow only barely made out the figure. "Buffy," Willow managed, before collapsing in
her own heap.
Rushing up to the pair, Buffy quickly moved Willow off, and turned her attention to the figure lying next to her.
"I'm so sorry. I-I didn't. Oh, God!" Willow's rambling turned into a small whisper, as she took off.
"What have I done?" Willow continued to ramble as she wandered the streets. Reaching a park, she collapsed in a
heap once again, and sobbed uncontrollably. Why should I go on? I deserve to die.
Thinking back to Tara, she surprised herself as she remembered a conversation they had only a few weeks before.
*Flashback*
"How was your day, sweetie? Any good boys in class?" Tara joked, heading towards the bed.
"Well, my cute boy radar isn't the most accurate, but there was this one guy..." Willow teased, following Tara
towards the bed.
"How are you holding up?" Tara asked seriously. Ever since Willow's spell to bring Buffy back, she hadn't been
herself, exactly, and Tara was worried, to say the least.
"I-I've been better, but you know me, one week I'm out and the next I'm ready to kick ass again," Willow replied.
"Remember the room, Willow. There's nothing to hide," Tara responded.
Sighing, Willow looked up to Tara, and gave in. "She said thank you. And for some reason, I didn't feel better.
I feel like I want to crawl into a grave and die, and I don't know why."
Looking back at Willow, Tara's face grew soft, as her voiced gained a firm tone. "No matter what, don't believe
that voice. If you died, I'd never be able to continue. Never listen to that voice."
*End flashback*
"N-no. She wouldn't want that. I've already done so much. I can't do anymore." Willow stared at the sky, and
picked out Tara's 'Big Pineapple'. As she continued to glare at it, Willow shouted, "You hear me? I can't do it
anymore!"
Watching Willow leave the Bronze, Buffy shook her head, and turned back to Tara again. "I knew this was a bad
idea, but would she listen? No," feeling for a pulse, Buffy also found nothing. "Damn it."
Whispering a couple foreign Latin words, Buffy watched as the figure before her began to move again. Repeating
them a couple more times, she saw the pair of eyes open.
"Did it work?" were the only words that escaped.
"Too well, I think," came Buffy's slightly agitated response.
"W-we have to…" The sentence never got out of Tara as she once again dove into unconsciousness. Buffy already
knew this would happen, and recalled Tara's warnings of not overdoing the healing spell, so she picked up the
slightly limp figure, and began to head back to the dorm room.
Entering the room, Buffy plopped the figure onto the bed. Tara started to come to again, and Buffy hoped she
was OK.
"Hey there, Buffy," Tara mumbled. "What are you doing here? Come to join the fun?" It was obvious Tara didn't
realize where she was.
Giving her a couple minutes, Buffy watched as Tara's facial features seemed to contort a few times. Another one of
the recovery processes after the spell. It would take a couple minutes before Tara would remember everything.
As she saw Tara's face grimace, Buffy knew that it was done.
"Where's Willow?" Tara groaned.
"She...Kinda, um...Ran off," Buffy let out.
"She what?" The shout was still mostly a whisper, as Tara's strength still wasn't high. "Sh-she was supposed to be
there when I woke up. She wasn't supposed to...God, we've got to find her!"
"We will, but you need to rest. I think it worked, so I think we've gotten through the worst," Buffy reassured her.
As Tara's face visibly relaxed, Buffy got up to call Xander, just in case.
The next morning, Buffy watched as Tara stirred again. As she opened her eyes, she squinted as the morning sun hit
her face.
"Took that warning seriously, I see," Tara mused aloud.
"How're you feeling this morning?" Buffy asked, concerned.
"Like I died for 10 minutes, but I'll recover," Tara moaned.
"Been there, done that," Buffy replied with a smile. Tara quickly returned it.
"Can you feel her?" She asked.
"Yes. I know where she is. Guess that safety net wasn't such a bad idea after all. I-I can also feel her.
Sh-she's lost..."
"You'll find her, but you can't look like you just got KOed in a 30 second fight. Rest, and then go out tonight.
Xander's going to keep an eye out for her."
Once again relenting, Tara fell back onto the bed, whispering into the early morning light. "I will always find
you."
Willow felt that she was being followed, but didn't care.
It was 3:00 in the afternoon, and she was still wandering the streets aimlessly. She hadn't cast a spell, even
to protect her skin against the sun, and she was beginning to feel some of the effects of both. Her skin was
beginning to turn red, and her left hand was twitching every so often.
Of course, she had more pressing issue, such as keeping herself alive, and trying to ignore the increasing pain in
her chest. As she walked up to a bench, she sat down, and proceeded to drift of into a dreamless sleep.
When Willow woke up, she noticed the lack of sunlight, and found out she had lost track of time. Doesn't matter,
she told herself.
Sitting up, she heard a voice behind a tree.
"Let me take over now. Thanks, for everything." The voice was muffled, and soft, and though Willow couldn't make
it out, she instantly felt slightly comforted by it.
"No problem. Always here to help. Oh, and smart chicks are still hot," there was no doubting that voice belonged
to Xander.
Looking over her shoulder, the figure that stepped out caused Willow to gasp again.
"T-Tara?"
"Y-yes, sweetie. It's me. I'm alright," the voice was soft, almost haunting.
"A-are you a ghost? Y-you're a ghost, here to haunt me for all that I've done. I-I deserve it..." Willow's
rambling was cut short.
"I'm not a ghost, Willow. It's me. I-I'm not dead." Tara tried to reason, but saw only a brick wall in front of
her attempts.
"But...But I saw you. I cast a spell, and I saw you and..." Willow trailed off, her sobs effectively cutting her
off.
Deciding only physical contact would reassure Willow; Tara stepped forward and engulfed her. The slight struggles
were no match for Tara's grip, and she felt Willow relax a little.
Pulling her back to meet her in the eye, Tara decided to try to explain. "Wh-what happened. I didn't mean for it
to go that far. Buffy was supposed to get there sooner."
"You-you mean you planned it?" Willow cried, stepping back. Tara only nodded.
"How...How could you? How could Buffy? Playing with me like..."
"Need I remind you of your past history," Tara retorted. "And Buffy didn't have much of a choice in the proceedings."
"But-but how?" Willow relented. She was beat, and she knew it.
"An old spell. It was made to use any spell to stop the caster's heart. Buffy had 15 minutes to get to me and heal
me. I never doubted that she would succeed."
As the tears came again, Willow jumped at Tara, engulfing her into another vice-grip hug. "I'm sorry. I'm so
sorry," Willow mumbled over and over. Tara's soothing helped, and they spent the rest of the night in a similar
position, not moving.
"Isn't that beautiful?" Xander said, dreamily. The smack to the back of his head was expected, but it still hurt.
"Oww!"
"Hey, you deserved it," Buffy retorted. "It's good to see them like that again. I hope she's learned her lesson."
The two were standing out of view, with a mocha in one hand, enjoying the sunrise just above the pair that were now
soundly snoozing on the park bench.
"You know, I could get used to this again. Maybe this should become a habit. Well, beyond the Tara dying, and
Willow almost going insane. Beyond that, it's been a beautiful couple days." Buffy rambled.
"Well, it beats smooches with Spike, right?" Xander said. Noticing his slip, he covered his mouth, then dropping
his hands, revealing a slight grin.
"Uh. How did you know that?" Buffy said, surprised, and slightly agitated.
"Well, my stalking resume is not limited to wandering Willow," he said with a nervous chuckle.
"Well, that was a short thing. I'm back in the loop, and ready for a real man," Buffy covered. "Say, where's
Anya? I'd have though she'd want to make sure you don't do anything adultery-like tonight."
"Well, you'd think that, but she's too busy trying to get that marriage thing ready," Xander replied.
"Still a little wigged about that?" Buffy asked knowingly.
"Surprisingly yes, but somehow, seeing Willow and Tara together has put a little water on the fire. I think I'll
get through it all right." Xander replied honestly.
"Well, how about I make a deal with you. You bail, I use your face as a replacement for Spike, and pound your
face in, you go through with it, and I spare you of my slayer wrath?" Buffy replied, half joking, half serious.
Looking nervously at Buffy, Xander let his eyes wander, looking for a distraction. "Hey, they're waking up."
"Oh, God, and I thought dying was tough," Tara groaned, as she woke up in a very awkward position.
"Just don't do it again," Willow said firmly, wrapping her arms tightly around Tara.
"I promise, just as long as you don't go crazy again," Tara relented.
"Then we're all happy again, huh?" Willow grinned slightly. Despite the circumstances, things were still a
little weird, and it would take a while for both of them to get over it. For now, though, they were content to
just try and forget.
Staring across the park, Tara squinted as she picked up a pair of eyes that were familiar. The little spies.
How dare they! Tara thought, smiling.
"I think there's a couple people who want to get their faces slapped," Tara mused, pointing towards the pair that
was now looking elsewhere nervously in their futile attempt at appearing innocent.
"Well, how about we get over there before our legs permanently refuse to function?" Willow replied.
The pair got up, and walked over to the table just behind the pair. Ordering a couple mochas as well, the witches
eyed the pair sitting with their backs turned, waiting for a chance to pounce.
"I hear that brick over there is going up for auction. From the looks it's been getting, it'll probably be the
featured item," Tara finally spoke up, startling the spies.
"Oh, uh. Hi, guys. Lovely morning for a stroll and mocha, wouldn't you say?" Xander replied nervously.
"Yes, Xander," Buffy replied for the pair, looking a little restless. "How are you two holding up?"
"We've been better, but we'll be fine," Willow spoke up. "Thanks." She whispered to Buffy.
"Anytime. Just make sure I don't have to do that again. I don't like having that much pressure on me," Buffy
whispered back with a nod.
As patches were sown back, and laughs and stories shared, the group felt a renewed bond, and they looked ahead to
the frightful days ahead, and saw a brighter future.
"You know, I've always hated sappy endings to stories. I just wish for once that we could see an all out brawl
end a story, instead of an intense make out scene." Willow mused, sitting in bed as she put the book she had just
finished back onto her nightstand.
"Well, just as long as you keep that philosophy for stories. I need my late night intense make out scene. And try
saying that ten times fast," Tara rambled next to her.
"Hey, at least we never had to watch Warren and Andrew make out. Now, I was never one for watching a pair of evil
villains make out, but if it was them, that's just yuck!"
"Well, you know, they do share a jail cell. And two years without anyone else can cause people to do strange
things," Tara replied smugly.
"Yikes. You love to torture me, don't you?" Willow said, with a mock-glare.
"I love to do anything to you," Tara replied mischievously.
Willow suddenly grew serious, looking over. "I still don't know what to believe. I felt my heart stop that
night, and the worst part is, it wasn't the first time. It happened a few weeks before that, but only the sight
of you cause it to start again. I don't want to do that again."
"As long as you're with me, you'll never do that again. You've changed. It was worth it. If you don't think so,
then you've got to deal with my resolve face," Tara replied.
With a smile, Willow felt reassured. "Wouldn't want to deal with that."
Hearing a soft murmur at the door, the pair quickly picked up a spare pillow they always kept for such occasions,
and threw them out the doorway.
"How often do we have to do this? We said, no eavesdropping!" Willow exclaimed, somehow keeping her tone serious
while laughing.
"If you guys would teach me something, I could keep them locked in their rooms all night," Dawn called from her
room.
Looking up in horror, Buffy began to back away. "You wouldn't dare."
"Would we, baby?" Willow asked, looking over. Seeing the shrug, Willow decided to play with the slayer a bit.
"We'd do more. We'd teach her how to break a glass, or even one of those expensive plates you always mull over,"
Willow replied, giving a slight cackle to drive the point home. Dawn's laugh spoiled the mood, though.
"We'll be good," Xander squeaked.
As Xander and Buffy ran off, the pair on the bed were left to contemplate their future, and decided that the best
life to live was the fairy tale, and though theirs had a few more bumps in the road, the end was still the same:
happily ever after.
A/N: Well, to be honest, I just couldn't come up with a good paragraph to end it with, so I just stopped before I embarrassed myself too much.
I promise, I'll try not to push the angst bar any higher then I did here in any other story.
Up next: Well, at the moment, it's unknown. I've started Episode 1 of "BtVS: My Way!" but I'm not sure how much longer until I get it out. Also, I've had a couple inspirations for 'Flashback' but I haven't actually written anything down for that yet. I'd give at least a couple weeks before anything more than a song fic or short story comes out.
That's about it for now. Thanks for reading!