Chapter five:

All the gang agreed to meet at Tara's the next morning to help her pack up the last of her things. Willow invited Buffy to join them As the others chatted and loaded the final few boxes into the moving van, Buffy took Tara aside.

"I have to ask….after everything…..why are you all being so nice to me?"

Buffy began to glance around nervously, uncertain that she actually wanted an answer. Tara smiled softly and patting Buffy's arm.

"It may seem strange to you but we happen to think you are a pretty nice girl most of the time."

"But after everything I said….all those times I was mean to you all…..and the horrible things I said at the end of senior year?"

"Look…I won't pretend that what you said wasn't hurtful and I think we can all agree that it wasn't your finest hour…..but we were all younger then…a lot can change in three years"

Tara looked the petite blond over once more and smiled as she turned away, speaking quietly over her shoulder.

"You know I really do think he has forgiven you and put it behind him. If you ask me what you need to do now is earn back his trust, the forgiveness he gave you freely, it helped him put it in the past. The rest is really up to you…..but then again that's just my opinion."

Tara tried to hold back the smile that tugged at her lips as she watched a youthful and hope-filled expression flash through Buffy's eyes. Oh they were definitely onto something here.

The gang drove Tara to the airport in Oz's van, nicknamed the Scooby Mobile because it had been painted a psychedelic green and purple just like the one in the cartoon. As Tara's flight number was called for boarding she sent a teary smile around the group.

"I have a parting gift for you all. Anya, this is for you with the wish that the one you love will finally get a clue. Xander……a clue!"

Tara smiled as she handed a blushing Xander a green pendant identical to the one she had just given to Anya.

"Oz, I'll just wish you luck because I have a feeling you already have what you want and Willow…I'm going to miss you so much….take care of them for me, make sure Spike doesn't give Dawnie a hard time."

When Willow had finally released Tara from a teary hug it was Buffy's turn. Tara smiled warmly at her and leaning in whispered to her.

"Good luck Buffy…I have a feeling you're going to make it…..just don't give up!"

She had deliberately saved the hardest goodbye till last, Spike was definitely one of a kind and she would be hard pressed to find a friend like him anywhere in the world, let alone in LA. Though she had been trying desperately not to cry a few tears were slipping through her marginal control as she reached out and took his hand.

"You !You had to go and make this little town feel like a home didn't you ? I'm going to miss you so much….all of you….take care of them won't you Spike? Watch out for them."

She already knew that he would, he always had.

As the final boarding call came she kissed his forehead and whispered her one final piece of advice to the friend who had done so much for her.

"Believe in her William….I do!"

Tara smiled at the confused look in his eyes. He didn't understand it now but she was sure it would all make sense soon enough.

"Well…that's me….be good to each other…kiss Dawnie goodbye for me….and you, Spike, don't be too hard on her or I will come back here and bewitch your bleached blonde backside!"

"Just get on the damn plane Glinda before you have to hop a broom to LA!"

Smiling at the old nickname, bestowed upon her when she had lost a bet and was forced into playing the good witch in the drama club's production of 'The Wizard of Oz' last year, Tara Mclay left Sunnydale behind her.