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Garnet Quill - Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hopefully I won't disappoint you!

Slay4you1978 - I'll try to update at least once a week - maybe more often with more reviews!

Sink or swim - GET OUT OF MY HEAD! Actually I was trying to go one way with the story - but it keeps veering me in a different direction! I've changed one particular chapter three times - but one person keeps popping up not wanting to be ignored!

Just Me - Tara is one of my most favorite characters on the show. Thought her character wasn't explored enough.

Chapter 2

"Thanks Buffy, that was good." Tara grins at Buffy as they finish up the late lunch/early dinner that Buffy had ran out to get them.

"No thanks necessary, not like I cooked it or anything. I can guarantee you would definitely not say it was good if I had fixed it!" Buffy smiles looking at Tara, happy that she seems to have calmed down quite a bit from earlier. "Lord knows I can't cook for anything."

"You're great at what you do, Buffy. That's what matters" Tara says seriously looking at Buffy.

"Thanks." Buffy takes a deep breathe exhaling it quietly. "I guess I could get this ball rolling, huh?" Buffy leans back against the side of the bed where they had sat on the floor eating. "How should I start?"

"You could start at the beginning. I-I-if you want too." Tara says looking at Buffy with a kind, compassionate look on her face. "I won't judge you Buffy. I-I'm not that type of person."

"Tara, you don't have to tell me that. I know you're not. As a matter of fact, that is one of the reasons I came to you to talk. I know that whatever we discuss, it's just between us. You are compassionate and honest to a fault." Buffy states without a hint of doubt in her voice.

Buffy proceeds to tell Tara about how, even before her death, she seemed to be losing touch. That she just didn't feel the same as before and how it was even worse now, that she had come back. She slowly opens up about what has been happening between her and Spike, how Spike could hurt her and how they beat each other up as foreplay before having wild, raw sex. That that was the only time she seemed to feel. She tells her about how she thinks she came back wrong, especially with Spike being able to hurt her. How angry she was about being dragged out of heaven. How angry she was with Willow. All Willow ever seemed to do was apologize to her for bringing her back, when they talked at all.

By the time Buffy finishes telling Tara about everything, Tara is holding Buffy gently against her and the Slayers head is buried in the crook of her neck, crying and shaking.

"Let it all out, Buffy. Just let it all out." Tara gently strokes Buffy's hair with one hand while holding her tight with her other arm. 'Oh, Goddess. Buffy, why didn't you come to me before this? I would be willing to help you out, in any way I can.' Tara thinks to herself. 'At least she's here now. Hopefully I can help her through this.'

As Buffy slowly calms down and her sobs become just an occasional hiccup, she gently eases away from the soft comfort of Tara's arms. Tara gently brushes away the tears on the slayers face and looks into her hazel eyes.

Buffy looks back into the deep blue of Tara's eyes and smiles when all she sees is compassion and caring coming from those blue depths. "Thank you." Buffy states simply, grateful for the simple fact that there was no recriminations, hatred or disgust coming from the Wicca.

"You're welcome. If you want, I could double check the spell that was used to bring you back and see if there's something that would explain about Spike being able to hurt you?" Tara questions quietly.

"Would you? Please?" Buffy asks questioningly.

"Yes. I'd be more than happy to help you out in any way, Buffy." Tara hesitates looking at Buffy. "You may not want to hear this, but I need to say it. I'm not sorry we brought you back Buffy. I am sorry that we pulled you out of Heaven. But I'll never be sorry to see you here and alive. This world needs you in it. And we'll work through this. It may just take time, but I know we can get you through this, okay?"

Buffy smiles a full, heart felt smile at the blonde Wicca and reaches over and hugs her tightly. "Tara, thank you. Thank you so much. You can't know what that means to me. Every time someone apologizes, it's like they're sorry they brought me back. And I keep thinking, why did you do it then? But maybe, just maybe, they feel the same way and I just couldn't understand what they were trying to say."

"I honestly don't believe anyone is sorry that we brought you back. I just think that most of us are in shock and sad that you were at peace and happy in Heaven, then we took that away from you. Buffy, if you feel the need to talk, anytime, day or night. Please call me, or stop by. Can you do that for me? Promise me that you won't do anything self-destructive, please?" Tara questions with almost a sob in her voice.

Buffy takes a deep breath looking up at the blonde. "I promise, Tara. You can't know how big of a weight this has lifted from me just being able to talk to someone about everything. I actually feel a bit better. I believe I did the right thing today, coming here to you. You always seem to make everything better, don't you?" Buffy asks questioningly tilting her head looking at the blonde witch.

Tara looks down shaking her head "I don't know about that. But I can listen and be there for you to talk to. Be a shoulder to cry on if you need it."

"Thank you." Buffy happens to glance over and sees that it's after midnight. "Crap, I didn't realize it had gotten this late. I need to go out and do a quick patrol and get home to Dawn. Tara, I'm sorry…"

Tara interrupts "Don't be sorry. It is late and you have things to do. I have classes tomorrow until 2:00 and then I'm going to research the spell for you and see what I can find out. You can call me anytime, okay?"

Buffy nods and smiles at Tara as she gets up and heads to the door. "I'll call you tomorrow. I won't get off work till 4:00, then I'll have to scrape the grease from my body after working at the DMP all day. Maybe, if it's okay with you, I can stop tomorrow night while I'm out on patrol?"

"You're welcome anytime, Buffy. Please take care of yourself." Tara smiles as Buffy heads out the door and nods her head at Tara acknowledging her statement. Tara quietly shuts and locks the door. 'A very surprising, enlightening night. Goddess, I'm going to need your help with this one. I have to find a way so that Spike can't hurt Buffy anymore. Well, first things first. Bed, classes and then research the spell. Tomorrow is a new day.' Tara thinks to herself as she gets ready for bed.

Buffy actually finds herself smiling as she hits the cemeteries doing a quick patrol on the way home. 'Tara made me feel better already. Why didn't I think to talk to someone before things got so bad? Why couldn't I have gone to Tara instead of doing all those things with Spike? She's definitely one of a kind. What did Willow do to her? And no matter what, I know it couldn't just be the magic. Tara wouldn't have moved out if that was all it was.' Buffy shakes her head at herself. 'I'll find out soon enough from Tara. Hopefully she can talk to me about it.'