A/N Thanks for the reviews, feedback keeps the writing enjoyable.

Chapter 11

TARA'S APARTMENT)

Dawn and Anya sat sleepily on Tara's sofa. They had finally talked the over-tired woman into getting some much-needed sleep. The three had been researching and come to the conclusion that Glory wasn't lying. Something about Buffy's resurrection had put a damper on Glory staying gone forever.

"Do you think Willow knew this would happen?" Dawn questioned fearing she knew the answer.

"I don't think Willow did," Anya began. "I think that evil bimbo part of her did know. Sure she was a part of Willow but had Willow seen it coming," Anya shook her head not wanting to state her theory. Her theory was it could have been possible for Willow to break the chain herself with Tara's love if the bimbo had been known of sooner. That was all water under the bridge and all that was left to do was stop Glory at all cost.

"Yeah I get it," Dawn said with a tinge of sadness in her voice. "Willow's gone now and we have to go on."

A knock at the door interrupted the two women in their separate reveries. Dawn cautiously went to open it. "Hey D," Faith said.

Dawn inspected the slayer who looked a little disheveled at the moment, "um hi Faith." She stepped back from the door to let the slayer in.

"I just came to check on Tara. I was hoping she'd be asleep by now." Faith said stepping inside.

(BEDROOM)

Tara tossed and turned for what seemed an eternity before finally succumbing to sleep. She was letting her mind work itself through the recent happenings. Glory's return, Willow's death and the thoughts of the dark slayer. She knew she was becoming drawn to Faith before Willow's death. The question was however, could she get over the fact she saw Faith kill the love of her life? Did she even want to get over it and take a chance on another love with a slayer who might die tomorrow? Would Faith have even been interested in her that way? She shook her head wondering if she could ever love anyone the way she loved Willow. She doubted it very highly as Willow was her world; the other half of her soul and the only one who made her feel alive. She was no longer certain if Willow even loved her due to her declaration of love for Buffy at the big fight but asked herself one more question. If Willow did love her, what lengths would she go to in order to bring her back?

"She is waiting Tara," a voice clearly belonging to Glory said to Tara as she slept. "I will honor my word and bring her back to you if you will just give me the key."

"Why do you need my help?" Tara asked curiously.

"The dark slayer will give me great opposition, I just need her distracted and you can have your Willow for all of eternity." Glory said showing Tara Willow's sad face crying out to her.

"Tara, I love you, please help me come back home," Willow begged with pure agony on her face.

Tara's body shuttered at seeing Willow in such pain. "No!" She screamed.

(LIVING ROOM)

"What was that?" Anya said rising to her feet but Faith had already blown by her and was in Tara's room.

"Hey T," Faith said softly instinctively resting a hand on Tara's arm for comfort. She'd been so used to doing things like this lately that it never occurred to her it wasn't a good idea. It felt so right when she was around Tara; as if her life had finally become complete. She was trying hard to keep her slayer steel about her but feared Glory was dead on track; Tara was her only weakness.

Tara couldn't stop trembling; she'd given her heart and soul to Willow and now something or maybe even it was Willow was trying to give back. She felt as if she were going to combust into nothing until she looked into the eyes of the slayer. UUpon feeling her touch, Tara's trembling began to stop; she felt safe instantly. "I-I-It was just a dream," she said in a shaky voice.

Faith began to wonder if she should have stayed out and let the others handle this. Looking into those beautiful sky-blue eyes of Tara reassured her she had made the right choice. She played everything out in her head, the biggest question being why Tara would want her comfort after she murdered the love of her life. "Can I get you something?" Faith asked softly as she stroked the top of Tara's hand with her thumb.

Tara seemed lost momentarily in Faith's deep brown eyes; then felt something nagging at her. It was as if someone was trying to break through her barrier she put up to keep Willow's voice from haunting her. "Tara please listen to me," the soothing voice of Willow spoke. "I love you more than life itself," Tara could now see a white mist forming in the air. "Tara, you know what you have to do baby. You are strong enough but please know I love you forever and always.

As the mist dissipated into nothingness, Tara let one tear trickle down her face for her lover. She now knew what she had to do and was bound to do it for her Willow. "No thank you," Tara finally choked out as she tried to gain some composure. "Faith," she spoke quietly. "C-C-Could you just stay here?"

Faith felt as if the weight of the world had just lifted from her shoulders. "I dunno T," she leaned down closer to the blonde. "I dunno if I can just sit here with you anymore."

Tara felt her heart sink; she'd blown it. "Um, I-I-I," she looked at the slayer questioningly.

Faith shuffled her feet trying to keep the discomfort on her face from showing. She was never one for wordy talks or big explanations of any kind. "T, I know me being here has to be hard for you and I understand if you can't be around me. Truth is I don't much like me either cause I didn't want to kill again. See T, B's voice, in some funky English accent, told me it was the only way to let Red be free of this nut-job half of her. I'm a slayer and my job is to protect the world as best I can and I'm not so good at coming up with last minute other plans as B was. The thing is," she looked into Tara's sky-blue eyes knowing she could let herself get lost in them way to easily. "I know I have a job to look out for you and everyone else and I will do that the best I can but I have this problem. I don't know if I can comfort you like I used to cause I'm very attracted to you and I know, after what I've done to Red, that's not something you could deal with."

Tara looked at Faith not knowing what to say. Here was this drop dead gorgeous woman and she was attracted to her. She just kept looking at her remembering what she had to do, pulling her strength from somewhere deep within her soul. "I-I-I don't know if I can deal with it either but I do know I felt an attraction before Willow passed." She finally spat out, her stuttering having returned.

"Well I only know one way to find out seeing as I'm not to classy." Faith said. She knew she was playing into Glory's hands with Tara as a weakness but didn't care at the moment.

She leaned down and gently pulled the blonde into her arms. Tara seemed to relax fully and it felt so right. All she had left to do now was kiss her and she did just that. The kiss was gentle and slow as Faith wanted to give Tara the chance to stop if she couldn't handle it. She then slowly deepened the kiss exploring Tara's inviting mouth with her tongue. "You're such a nice person Tara," Faith said almost in a whisper as she briefly stopped the kiss. "I know I've never met anyone like you. You've got a beautiful smile and such captivating eyes," Faith now spoke in between giving long passionate kisses. "I'm trying to keep this slow but I have this slayer-demon inside of me that can get in the way of that."

Faith began rubbing Tara's back and kissing her down the neck. "You can read aura's T, if you don't believe me give it a shot, feel the slayer energy and you will see how much I want you." Faith again spoke between her kissing and light suckling on the neck.

Tara was lost in the slayer's touch and husky voice and no matter what she must do later, that's all that mattered now as Faith began rolling her tongue over Tara's breasts. Tara's body responded to the slayer's touch and a soft moan escaped her mouth. That was all Faith and her animalistic slayer senses needed as she proceeded to give Tara a night of passion like none she'd had previously.

After they were finished, Faith pulled the woman firmly into her arms and held her there as she fell asleep. "She's doing it," Glory said softly. "Very soon the slayer's head will be in such a spin it will be easy for me to gain access to the key without opposition and just maybe Tara will see her Willow before hell on earth commences."

TBC.