She sighed and raised her hand and knocked on the door, she heard someone move around and heard two voice before the door was opened by a darkish blonde headed female wearing a robe. The girl smiled warmly at her and said "Can I help you?" Buffy bit her lip and said "Uh I hope so, I am looking for Willow". The girl looked behind her and then back at Buffy and said "Hang on a sec" She then closed the door.
Buffy heard more rustling in the room and the next second a smiling Willow answered the door also in her robe. The minute she saw Buffy her face went from smiling to confusion to shock. Buffy smiled and said "Hey". Willow had that look where she is processing the new information and then suddenly she looked a little angry and Buffy stepped back and said "Um right, your angry, I get that, but can we talk?" Willow felt a hand on her arm and she looked behind her to see Tara nodding at her. Willow however said "You left us again Buffy, how do you expect me to feel?" Buffy looked down sadly and said "your right, but you don't know what happened to m… make me leave."
She quickly covered as she realized that sentence would probably just get her in trouble.
Willow rolled her eyes and said "Yeah well you could have talked to us." Buffy heard the girl behind Willow say something and Willow then stepped aside and motioned Buffy in. Buffy looked around and then at the girls before yielding and walking through the room.
She sat on a chair while they sat on the bed; the blonde girl said "I'm Tara." Buffy said "Buffy." Tara nodded and Willow took her hand and look defiantly at Buffy before saying " Ok Explain why exactly you felt the need to come home for one day and leave again for 10 months with no explanation, no letter, and then didn't contact anyone to tell them you are safe?" Buffy sat in front of them in turmoil, what could she say that could make it all better, I was tortured and you never looked for me, no that wouldn't exactly bring about fluffy feelings.
No instead she said "I killed Angel when he was Angel, he still had his soul, I needed time ok." Tara whispered something to Willow and Willow's eyes flashed and she said "You're lying to me." Buffy said "Fine I was too ashamed to come home." Willow looked at Tara who nodded and Willow said "Why in the world were you embarrassed to not come home for nearly a year?" Buffy shook her head and said "I seriously don't want to get into this with you Willow, You can't handle knowing why. Not yet." Willow looked at her carefully and said "I was your best friend not long ago and you could tell me anything, just tell me." Buffy was getting emotional and said "I can't tell you Willow, I can't even deal with why I didn't come home let alone letting someone else deal with it."
Willow sighed and said "Ok (then in a quieter voice) can I hug you now?" Buffy smiled for the first time since being in the room and everything seemed to go in slow motion as they embraced and starting crying. Tara silently left the room letting them have their privacy. Tara knew something wasn't right with Buffy, her aura was all off, and she knew she had been through something that would have killed anyone else. She sighed and sat outside in the hallway wondering what could possibly have happened to someone so young.
Willow was holding Buffy's hand as they stood in front Xander's door. They had just spent the hour ignoring where she was and catching up on who was where and doing what. It was kind of strange that Willow was gay but she shrugged it off because she seemed happy. Willow gripped her hand tighter as the door opened revealing Xander shouting over his shoulder but turning around looking straight at Willow and not noticing Buffy. He said "Hey Wills (noticing Buffy) who's your friend?" Willow looked at Buffy and at Xander and nearly burst out laughing but instead said "Well she used to be blonde". Xander did a back take and looked at her again before saying "Oh hell no" and slammed the door shut in the shocked girls faces. Willow looked at angry and yelled "Alexander Leville Harris Open this door this minute before I break it open." Silence "1………2………" The door opened revealing a women Buffy hadn't met who said "There is no point yelling he went out the back door to go to Willies." Willow pulled Buffy's hand back to the car yelling behind her shoulder "Thanks Anya". Buffy looked back but was forced into the car.
They found him sitting angrily on a stool drinking a bottle of beer and looking at a dirty television. He didn't turn around or even acknowledge their existence instead he just continued to stare at the screen. Buffy sat on the left of him while Willow sat at the right and both stared at him though Buffy did with a small frown. He finally said "You can tell her to leave Willow, I won't talk to her." Willow looked at Buffy and gave her a small smile before saying " She is still your best friend" He shook his head and took a swill of beer and said "No my best friend died the day she left the second time. Tell her to leave". Buffy said in a quiet voice "Fine I just wanted to let you know I was alive."
She got up and left leaving Willow looking at them both shocked before she too got up but not before slapping him over the head on her way out.