NEVER AGAIN

Hi readers this is my first Tara Oz fic so lemme know how I'm doing so far I really am starting to like it and a new chapter is coming soon. promise

Disclaimer: don't own or profit wheldonishness or the characters owned by joss wheldon or mutant enemy, if I did the show would still be on.

What if willow got shot instead of Tara and an old heat came to town? Based on "never again" Nickelback

Tara stood there frozen. Still. It didn't feel like anytime had passed since Willow had been shot. Not a second. Willow's surprised look after being shot was still clutching to the back of her memory.

Even now as she stood beside the open grave; slightly separated by the crowd. The sun shone through the leaves of the oak tree above making the whole scene seem even more surreal and dreamlike. She still felt like her Willow was gonna come out from behind the trees, wrap her warm arms around her shoulders and whisper con soulments into her ear.

Tara sighed and crossed her arms trying to save some heat in the cool shade. She watched for a second as the priest read from the book and moved on, she would do the Wiccan ceremony tonight.

Her eyes landed on Willow's beloved friends. The scooby's. Xander was wiping tears from his eyes and Buffy was consoling Dawn. Giles's face like stone though tears glistened going down his cheeks. Then she went back to staring at the tree.

She wondered idly why she had yet to shed a tear. Maybe she was in what they called shock. Maybe this was her punishment for killing her mother. No she didn't kill her mother. Her father had. But this exact scene was so familiar to her right down to the priest, weather and crying friends and relatives. Just like 13 years ago… and just like thirteen years ago she had yet to shed a tear.

Tara shook her head. No. She had promised herself that she would never think of that day again… Tara shuddered the shade was starting to get cold. She glanced around the group again. Something was different. She glanced around again. Someone new was standing in the back of the crowd. His aura was a midnight blue colour. She had never seen that before.

Well actually she had. Only once. The night she had thought she lost Willow forever. But he left, not a letter or E-mail. Nothing.

Tara was torn from her thoughts as Dawn had walked up beside her and was giving her a wet hug. The priest had finished and was now lowering the casket into the earth. Tara watched carefully, wondering when Willow was gonna pop out of the bushes grinning and yelling April Fools! And explaining to her that there was nothing in it.

There was a dull thud as the casket hit the bottom of the grave.

Tara waited.

The priest sprinkled some holy water and said a prayer in Latin.

Tara waited.

The priest started walking away with the rest of the concession.

Tara waited.

They started burying the casket.

Tara waited.

Dawn gave her a hug and left for home.

Tara waited.

Dusk fell the moon rose in the sky. Though she didn't see any of this. She didn't care. Finally she tore her eyes off the mound of dirt and noticed that there was one other person there. Standing further away brow furrowed.

He looked up and Tara got her first look at Willow's first. He was pale stubbly faced and had blue hair. He was wearing some cargo pants a Metallica tee shirt with a jean jacket over top.

He was the first to speak, which suited her just fine. "I'll leave if you need..." he offered motioning towards the van in the parking lot. Tara shook her head. "You can stay. It's alright." the conversation was awkward, as it should have been. Tara's thoughts flickered on being chased down by the werewolf. She shivered self-consciously. She realized that she had been looking at the ground and looked up.

Oz was studying her face. "How did you hear?" she asked trying to feel less awkward. "Dawn called. Don't really know how she got the number." Oz said looking down. "'She would have been glad you came." Tara said nodding. Oz smiled softy, it was the first time she had ever seen him do so, sure it was a small sad smile but it was a smile.

Suddenly it all sank in. she was gone and she wasn't coming back. "I-I need to leave, or walk or something." Tara said her heart falling out of her chest and into her stomach where it welled up like a balloon, hot tears formed in the back of her eyes. And she walked away; she took long strides, her soft leather boots hitting the dewy grass in silence.

Oz watched as her mousy long brown hair whipped around in the crisp night air. He knew how she felt. Though she wasn't heading for home. He frowned, she was shaking. He looked up at the darkening sky and caught the first sniff of the on coming rain. Suddenly he found himself going after her. Her sadness was coming off in waves. And the rain was starting to fall.

Thanks for reading the first chap and a new one is coming soon, please review! And yep me and cliffhangers have a history so get used to it! Lol.