Part 30 – Before now and forever
It had been 5 days already that Willow had been attacked. All these days Tara was taking really good care of her, always changing the bed's sheets and with a wet cloth she bathed Willow carefully. As Willow's powers weren't in her body she didn't needed food, she didn't lose energy, and the power that she needed her power was getting it somewhere somehow.
Willow was still laid, having Tara sitting beside her. Tara was with one of her hands on top of Willow's hands caressing them. With her other hand she was turning pages very fast, too fast to even read something, her eyes were looking at the book but her mind was traveling. Xander that was sitting on a chair facing the bed realized Tara's actions.
"Tara?" Xander asked putting her book away and getting closer to Tara.
"Hum?" She replied still with her eyes to the book.
"Mmm… did you find anything?" Xander asked watching Tara.
"No…" Tara looked at Xander. She took a big breath and continued "Dear Jesus, this is useless!" she said putting the book away still with her hands holding Willow's.
"Hey it's ok… we'll bring her back…"Xander said sitting on the bed.
"You don't know that." Tara said sadly looking down.
"Of course I do, we've already took the power from Yakata, this has to be easier." Xander said trying to find Tara's eyes.
"Yes it should… and this worries me." Tara said lifting her face.
"What you mean?"
"To find Yakata, it needed minds thinking, and spell, and strength, and now… we don't need that, we need our hearts and we are not using them!" Tara explained.
"What?" Xander got a little confused.
"Yakata said to follow our hearts… and we aren't doing that… we are searching things into books, how the hell am I supposed to find Willow's powers that way? Willow's power isn't IN a book." Tara was almost panicking.
"Honey…" Xander said taking one of Tara's free hands. "Calm down, Buffy already went to Sunnydale… soon we'll be able to find it." Xander tried to calm her.
"It's not in Sunnydale…" Tara said.
"What? How do you know?" Xander got surprised.
"I don't… I just fell like it's not there…. That's all my heart is saying right now." Tara said.
"Why didn't you tell Buffy that?" Xander wanted to know.
"I can be wrong, I don't wanna miss a chance, anything that we can do, I'm willing to try." Tara explained.
"Ok, so what is your heart saying right now?" Xander asked looking at Tara's eyes.
"I don't know, it's so confused… I just look at her and wanna hold her…. So nothing can go wrong and tell her that everything is going to be all right…" She said looking to Willow.
"Do it…" Xander said smiling.
"What?" Tara looked at Xander surprised.
"Hug her…" Xander supported Tara.
"Xander…" Tara looked at Xander with a face that sounded that the idea would be useless.
"Come on, what can go wrong with that? Willow wants it… and so do you…" Xander said seriously.
"I'm not sure…" Tara said.
"What?" Xander got worried.
"Last time I talked to her, we were on a fight, she ran from me… and I let her get caught." Tara said.
"You think she's mad with you for that?" Xander asked.
"I wouldn't blame her…"
"Tara!" Xander sounded like he didn't believe that Tara was really saying that.
"It's so confusing Xan… I don't know what else to do, I can't just stay here and wait for Buffy to get to Sunnydale when there's a possibility that the power isn't there and the power is somewhere and I'm not doing anything to find it." Tara said almost crying. Xander seeing her friend like that, the only thing he could do was give positive support, he got closer and opened her arms to Tara, while hugging he said "Trust yourself Tara. You have to trust your heart."
"We have nothing Xan, no idea where this power could be." Tara said pulling away the hug.
"Yes we do… we have our hearts… don't think Tara… you already thought too much, act with your heart now…"
"My heart? Willow has my heart." Tara said.
"And you have hers… I'm gonna make something for us to eat, it's been a while that we are in this room…"
"Oh. Tara said with her thoughtful eyes.
"What?" Xander asked as he got up from the bed and was going towards the door.
"Ah… nothing… just some… I'm kinda hungry, I can use some food." Tara said changing the subject.
"Great, I'll make some lunch."
"Thanks." Tara said as Xander closed the door.
Tara was alone in the room now with Willow and flashbacks started to appear in Tara's mind.
"…I released Willow's powers. The power is looking for some place safe to stay. Just go get it and give it back to Willow…."
And Tara started to feel… her memories… "The power is looking for some place safe to stay…"
And scene with Willow crossed Tara's mind…
She remembered that Willow and Tara was looking for Dawn in the park when Tara asked…
"Where do you think Dawn is now?".
"I don't know… maybe to the bronze?" Willow suggested.
"Humm ok, I have a question…. Where would you go if you got lost? Some place safe that you know that nothing bad will happen… where would you go?" Tara asked.
Willow got a smile on her face and answered. "To you."
Both smiled.
Back to present Tara had a surprised expression… "Oh my god… Willow's power is in me."
'´´'´'´'´'´'´'´''´´''´'´'´'´'´´'´'´'´'´''´'´'´'
After some time with a surprised face she turned to Willow, she leaned and took Willow's hands in hers.
"Baby… you… your… powers… you chose me?" A tear came out of Tara's face. "Why? How? Tell me… how can I return your powers? I… don't know… please tell me..."
Although all Tara's words Willow stayed still and nothing had happened.
Tara started shaking and getting desperate, she had her lovers power inside her, she couldn't think straight, the feeling of having everything inside her made her more nervous, after some time on breathing hard Tara realized that getting desperate wasn't going to result on anything, so she just relaxed herself for a couple of minutes, she closed her eyes and put her mind together.
"Ok, calm down Tara, Willow trusts you, you can't disappoint her, be brave, she needs you, now more then ever, come on, you can think… no… not think… I'm not thinking…I can't think, I have to act with my heart…"
Tara was facing Willow sitting on the bed, she leaned and kissed Willow's cheek. "Willow my darling, come for me, I need you here." Tara laid on the right side of Willow holding her, having one arm underneath Willow's head supporting it, and the other hand holding Willow's right arm. "I need you… wake up… please Willow…" Tara was crying… her body was touching Willow's, she couldn't help, Tara kissed Willow's right cheek. "Come back." Tara kissed Willow's left cheek "I am here." Moving to kiss Willow's forehead she whispered "Always…" and without thinking Tara moved to Willow's lips "I love you."
As soon as lips touched a glow invaded the room, specially two women that in that moment transformed into only one heart, an unexplainable and intoxicating love, a blond kissing a redhead while she sleeps. Is it too fairy tale? Well, In Buffy's world, fairy tales are real… and how real and good they can be…
Tara felt Willow, and Willow felt Tara, the glow meant magic, it meant that something extraordinary was happening. Tara stayed still, her lips felling Willow's essence was something Tara never wanted to let go. Willow was now feeling Tara, she was being kissed by her lover, she didn't open her eyes, she stayed still, but her hands started moving and touching Tara's back going up to her hair, not also being able to control, she started to move her lips as well.
Tara got surprised! Willow was moving! She lifted her head to see if this was really happening or if she was going crazy, but as soon as she took her lips from Willow's, Willow lifted her head recapturing Tara's lips on hers again, her arms moved to embrace Tara and hold her closer to her body. It was happening, Willow was back.
"Willow…" That was all that Tara could say between kisses.
"You found me!" Willow was crying, still holding Tara tight to her body, she moved so Tara could be on top of her. They kissed until losing their breath, when they apart Tara looked down and saw the most beautiful face in the world.
"Baby… open your eyes please, I miss those eyes…" Tara said kissing Willow's nose.
"Hummm." Willow slowly opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was a gorgeous blond looking at her with the most beautiful stare, a look that made Willow feel wonderful, gorgeous and the perfect person, she felt blessed to be able to hold Tara and see those blue eyes, again staring at her with so much love.
As soon as Willow opened her eyes Tara gave the greatest smile that she could have, tears came out of both women. "You're back…" Tara said in a crying tone.
"Thank you." Willow said meaningfully.
"For what?"
"For being who you are, for loving me the way you do, founding me, and making me everything that I am today… you're my always Tara." Willow said putting Tara's hair behind her ears, touching her face and wiping her tears.
Tara got speechless, only tears came out, no words. Tara didn't have to say anything, her eyes said everything to Willow, and they could speak by looks, touches…
"I…" Tara started to say.
"Just kiss me." Willow interrupted. With smiles, Tara did.
After a few minutes changing looks, kisses and few words, they heard a knock on the door.
"Tara? May I come in?" It was Xander. "I brought us some food."
"Xander!" Tara sat on the bed putting her hair together and getting her blouse down. "Xander?" Willow said also sitting and getting ready for him to enter.
"Come in Xan." Tara said sitting in the bed holding Willow's hands.
Xander with a tray in his hands carrying food and juice entered in the room. As soon as Xander opened the door he started to say "Am I going crazy or I heard Willow's voice in…" Before he finished his sentence he saw Willow sitting down on the bed with her eyes opened and both women with the biggest smiles on their faces.
"Look who's back Xan." Tara said.
"WILLOW! Oh my god! How did you…" Xander was in shock, he quickly put the tray in the chair that was near and got close to the bed.
"Xander! I missed you…" Willow got out of the bed to hug Xander, when she got up, she felt a little dizzy but Xander caught her before she fell.
"Willow." Tara held her quickly.
"Easy Will, you have been on bed too much time, you're kinda week, you have to eat something." Xander said helping her to sit on the bed while Tara held her caressing her back.
"You ok?" Tara asked worried.
"I'm fine… just felt a little dizzy, long time I don't stay up. Long 5 days…" Willow said looking to Tara to not make her worry.
"Here, take this. Go slow." Xander gave Willow a glass of juice, a plate with some cookies and a health sandwich.
"5 days? How do you know?" Tara asked helping Willow to eat.
"My body was out… but it was like I could feel my power. Yakata…"
"You know her?" Tara asked giving Willow an orange juice.
"Well yeah, when Yakata took my powers it was like I was with her the whole time and I could see and hear what she was doing, it was like I was walking besides her all the time but I couldn't do anything…"
"Wait… you're saying that… how… you…? And how did you got back anyway? Oh my god we have to call Buffy!"
"Hey, breath Xan." Tara said giving him a hand as he sat on the chair to talk to both girls.
"Yeah, one thing at a time please, beside, Buffy is already in Sunnydale…." Willow said.
"How do you know about Buffy?" Tara asked curious.
"I was with you Tara… I pretty much… saw everything…" Willow explained.
"WHAT?" Xander got more and more confused.
"Oh yeah, Willow's powers were inside me, I had to return to her by following my heart." Tara explained to Xander.
"Oh…" Xander stopped for a moment thinking what Tara meant with "following my heart" but that wasn't the most important right now so he continued…."I am glad you're back Will." He said smiling.
"You didn't think you'd escape from me that easily, did ya?" Willow said with an ironic voice.
"Nope, and I'm glad that you didn't." Xander said as he got closer and gave his best friend a comforting hug.
Xander apart from the embrace and could see how much Willow and Tara still had to talk.
"Tara, I made more juice and here's another sandwich, you should eat too. Don't want my girls getting dizzy ok?" Xander said giving Tara the food and putting the chair back to its place.
"Thanks Xan…" Tara received the food with caring. "You have being wonderful…" Tara said caring.
With a smile on his face he continued. "You're welcome, take care of her." Xander said to Tara while she nods with a pretty smile. And Xander continued. "Hum, I'm gonna call Buffy."
Getting from the women nods Xander took the tray and left the room.
After Xander left the room, some minutes of silence between the girls happened, they were eating and enjoying each others company's again.
"Mmm this sandwich is tasty… " Willow started.
"Yeah, Xander has been such a helper these days…" Tara smiled.
"Tara…" Willow started to say as Tara looked at Willow. "I… I'm sorry…" Willow said sadly.
"What? Why you're saying that?" Tara moved so she could be facing Willow.
"I shouldn't have run away that night… I made you go through all that and…" Willow was about to continue when Tara put her fingers on Willow's lips making her stop talking.
"You don't have to be sorry for that, I was the one that freaked over something that I should have understood, and I do now, after I saw what happened to you, I… I saw how painful it was to see you not moving, and the scare took control of me, I had to lose you to know the feeling, I already got pretty scared just you being unconscious, and I'm glad you're back now. I promise to make this relationship last forever. Even if forever isn't enough…" Tara said looking meaningfully to Willow's eyes.
Willow was speechless, the only thing she could do was to take the food out of the bed, get close to Tara, lean… and with a kiss Willow showed how much she was proud to be with Tara.
When they apart from the kiss Willow just got up the bed. "Tara, hang on a sec, I'm going to the bathroom, wait for me here." Willow said getting up going to the door. When Willow got up Tara was giving her back to Willow, then Tara just said "I am you know…" Just like more or less 4 years back the scene was repeating and Willow realized that, she knew Tara's intention and she got into Tara's game answering the same thing she did that time before "What?" She asked with a smile. Tara that was sat, she just turned her face, smiling now she repeated… "Yours…" Willow's memories were reliving the scene, it was perfect, just like before she was so in love, but this time the conversation continued and Willow asked " Still?" And just after seconds of silence Tara opened a perfect smile, turned around so she could be totally facing Willow and she answered:
"Before… now... and forever."
´'´'´'´'´'´'´'´'´'´´'
Wait… it's not over yet… what about Buffy?
´´'´'´'´'´'´'´'´´´'´'
Buffy, Dawn and Giles were in the way to Sunnydale again, when they got there, things didn't seemed so different, Giles went to one side to look for Willow's powers and Buffy and Dawn went to another one.
The only thing that Giles could find was his cell ringing; it was Xander telling about Willow and Tara. He got happy, when he went to look for the girls, he couldn't find them. Where were they? Well, let's see their side.
Buffy and Dawn were walking near the hole that was made.
"Buffy?" Dawn started a conversation while they looked for something shining.
"Mm?" Buffy said not paying much attention.
"I think mom is proud of you." Dawn said. Buffy stopped looking though things and looked to Dawn.
"What you mean?"
"Well, you could ask for anything, and then… you asked for something that it wasn't for you, I mean you could even ask for Angel… or…"
"Dawn… I'm sorry…" Buffy said figuring out what Dawn wanted to say.
"What?" Dawn asked confused.
"I'd like to ask for mom too… I wished she could come back, but I don't think if I could have the feeling of losing her again…and I didn't want you to also feel that."
Dawn nodded. "I understand…but…" Before Dawn could finish her sentence a huge bright thing started to glow, it blinded the girls, when they were able to see again, the same woman that had appeared in the beginning for Buffy was there again, showing herself to Buffy and Dawn.
"You!" Buffy said.
"Who?" Dawn was confused.
Not paying attention to Dawn's confused face the woman started to say.
"Buffy, your wish was granted, you made Tara live and love again. Tara could find her inside, she found her heart and followed it, with that she brought her lover again."
"You mean that Willow is back?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, she lives." The woman answered.
"Oh thank god. You're here to tell me that?" Buffy asked.
"Actually, no. I'm here to tell that we are very proud of your wish. It made a fantastic change, not only Tara is back, but Willow found herself, and you weren't greedy. At all."
"Well… thanks…" Buffy said proudly.
"We want to thank YOU… and we decided to give you something." The woman said smiling.
"Another wish? Cause if this wish cause so much trouble than…" Buffy started to freak out.
"No… it's a reward." The woman said.
"Reward?" Buffy was curious.
"HUM?" Dawn was totally confused.
"There's someone that wants to talk to you, actually to both of you." The woman said and in her place another woman appeared. She was not so far from the girls, with the perfect smile and proud in her eyes looked at the girls, a blond woman.
Buffy was speechless. And tears came out of her eyes. Dawn wasn't different. And both girls looking at the same person, the same mom… both girls crying could see her mom again, she was there, looking she was real.
Buffy and Dawn said together "Mom…"
Joyce was so happy to see the girls together, alive. She said "I can't stay here for a long time, I just wanted to see you… and you know…" Joyce started to get close to the girls and put her hands on each girls face and continued "I miss you my daughters…"
Buffy and Dawn could feel her mom's hands touching their faces… Dawn was crying, tears didn't stop to come out of her eyes… "Mom?… can…can we hug you?"
Joyce was crying too, her body was sort of invisible and at that moment her body started to become more real in colors. "You girls are gorgeous." Joyce said hugging both girls.
"Oh god! Mom… we missed you." Buffy said.
Joyce was with the girls for a couple of hours, Dawn suffered so much that she was able to talk and feel her mom again, she made those hours special and memorable. with that she got the strength to become a powerful woman.
Buffy was rewarded, she saw her mom again, she saw how beautiful and happy her mom was, which made Buffy feel comfortable and completely happy, what she hadn't felt for a long time. She felt rewarded, she wanted to spend with her mom a longer time, but she knew that if she spend one more minute with her mom again it would be impossible to let her go. That's why she enjoyed all seconds hugging and feeling the presence of her mom again.
Joyce said words that made Buffy feel more confident. Words that made Buffy stronger, with that Buffy found strength to live happily and proud of being the slayer that she always had been.
THE END
Thanks