Author's Note I am going to try to get a chapter out every 2-3 days, but I am moving to college on August 28th so there might be a slight delay around that time.

Chapter 5

When she made it back to camp, she noticed the hobbits were asleep and Aragorn and Borimir were talking quietly. Tara sat on her bedroll, brushing her hair with a gorgeous white brush that Willow guessed one of the elves had given her. When she approached, Tara glanced up at her and Willow was shocked to see anger in her girlfriend's eyes.

"Tara, what's wrong?" She sat down on her own bedroll.

"Nothing. I mean, I-I don't want to hide anything or keep secrets. And this isn't the best place to discuss this but, I saw you were all upset about whatever the lady said, a-and I went into the woods.."

"You saw me and elfboy smooching?" Willow guessed. At Tara's nod, she began apologizing.

"Oh Tara, I'm sorry. He likes me and he kissed me. I-I wasn't trying to"

"No, no. It's ok. I mean, while we're here we can't be like together like at home. You couldn't just outright tell him why you're not interested. Willow, it's ok. I trust you."

"Good. Right. Well anyway, I need to talk to you. That Galadriel lady, she showed me some things. Our future, supposedly. I-If we go back that is."

"I-I don't think it's good to know the future. We could m-mess things up." Tara frowned.

"We have to mess things up!" Willow squeaked. She glanced around to see if anyone else was listening, then lowered her voice. "Tara, you're going to die. I-I saw Warren shoot you. Remember the dude who built the Buffybot? I saw him in the backyard with a gun, a-and then you were dead in my arms. And apparently I went all "ahhh" with the dark magics and tried to end the world."

Tara's eyes widened. "Y-you, you mean, I-I, oh gosh." She closed her eyes briefly. "Maybe it's not so bad."

"What?!" Willow couldn't help raising her voice and she tried to remain cool as Aragorn and Borimir paused their conversation and asked them if they were alright.

"Yeah, sorry. Tara just told me what a mess my hair is." Willow kidded with the men. When they turned back to their own conversation, Willow continued, making sure to speak softly.

"Baby, how is your death not so bad. I-I mean I couldn't stand to lose you. There was other stuff too in the mirror. You and I broke up, I put some sort of spell on you. But I swear baby that I won't do that. See? We can change things."

"Willow, sometimes you have to let things happen for the greater good. I mean, what if my dying means you and Buffy and Xander get to live? We can't know the cost of changing things. We have to accept consequences-"

"No" Willow stated, her voice becoming dark. "I'm not losing you. I can fix this. I can do a spell, like a protection one and keep you from getting shot. Or I could turn Warren into a harmless little rat or something. I can change things."

"Is that your answer? Just do a spell? Willow, I-I hate to say this. Maybe we should let things play out."

Willow's response to was lay down, turn over and go to sleep.

In the morning, Tara awoke to find Willow's bedroll empty. She sighed and got up for breakfast. When she arrived there she found Willow to be sitting at a table with Haldir, Legolas, Aragorn, and Celeborn. Willow was telling them the tale of her high school graduation. Tara frowned when she saw the table was full, Willow hadn't saved her a seat.

"Sit with me, milady. I've already gotten a plate for you." Borimir gently lead her to a small table for two that was farther away from the main groups of tables.

Tara was surprised when he pulled the chair out for. Not even Xander or Giles with all his British properness did that anymore. She sat down and began to eat the food he picked out for her. She guessed it was some sort of Elvish version of bacon and eggs.

"Perhaps it is not my business, please tell me if it is not, but are you and the Lady Willow having a disagreement about something.?" He questioned after a bit.

"No it's fine to ask. We are. It's..difficult to explain. Lady Galadriel showed her something, our future we think. It's not good. A-And Willow just wants to do a spell and avoid everything. I think it might be best to just let things play out. It's really that, it's the principle. Willow does too many spells."

"So I gathered." Borimir said. There was silence for a few moments as he chewed thoughtfully.

"Although I do not know much about magic myself, I believe you are right to let the events play out. Why if we knew the turnout of this quest, we might do things differently and change the turnout."

"Yes, that's what I believe. Willow just wants to use magic to make sure the future doesn't happen that way. She wants to change things to suit her."

"Lady Tara, May I speak with you?" Tara saw Galadriel motioning for her to follow.

"I-I'll be right back." She said to Borimir, who nodded and stared after curiously.

Tara followed Galadriel to her small garden. She saw the small pedestal with the mirrored water.

"I-I would prefer not to look. I don't like knowing the future."

"Of course."

"You've heard of yours though. Your lover shared it with you."

Tara's head snapped up at the word 'lover'. "Willow and I aren't-"

"Elves believe in love in all forms. You are safe here and I will say nothing of it to the others. Did the Lady Willow inform you of what the mirror showed her?"

Tara nodded. "Yes, she did. She wants to change it though. Do some spell..."

"She trifles with force she knows nothing of. Fate has plans and will see them done, one way or the other. She cannot fight destiny."

Tara hung her head and gave a small nod of understanding.

"I can send you home now, if the Lady Willow assists. I have thought of a way but it would require great power I'm afraid only she and Gandalf posess."

Tara sighed. "I-I don't know if she'll agree. Now she's bent on staying.."

"Go ask her. Tell her fate can not be avoided."

Tara set off, finding Willow sitting at the same table, although now it was occupied by ownly Aragorn, Legolas and Willow.

"Good Morning, Lady Tara" Aragorn greeted her.

"Tara" Willow smiled at her and gestured to the chair next to her, indicating Tara should sit. She seemed to completely forget their fight from the previous night."

"Hey" Tara greeted everyone softly. Then she turned to Willow.

"Lady Galadriel has found a way for us to go home. S-She'll need a lot of your help though."

"Thought we had a quest to finish? I'm not ready to go home just yet."

"It might be the only chance we have...." Tara trailed off.

"There'll be other chances. 'Sides, I'm kinda happy here? Aren't you?"

NO! Tara wanted to yell. She and Willow couldn't be together and they were possibly change the fates of their friends in the other dimension. But she didn't yell it. She half-smiled and went back to Galadriel's garden.

"She won't come."

"As I feared." Galadriel nodded, almost sadly. She paused. Then said. "The Fellowship is breaking."

"W-We are? I-I mean, it is? I know Gandalf....."

"He will try to take The Ring. You know of whom I speak."

"Borimir, right?" Tara said softly. "C-Can I stop it? Would that effect anything?"

"I do not believe so. The Fellowship will break either way."

Galadriel approach Tara, laid her hands upon her shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"You are brave and true. If Fate has its way and you fall into shadow, it shall not be in vain."

Tara sniffled as she walked back to camp, trying to decide how to stop Borimir from taking the ring.