Chapter 3

The next morning Tara woke up with a smile on her face remembering her dreams. Tara looked at the calendar, October 16th, it was her 18th birthday, she tried to move to get out of bed and the sharp pain in her back made her remember what happened the night before. It didn't take long to find a shirt to cover her back but the problem was movement, every time she moved the scabs on her back cracked and seeped and it was impossible for her to bandage it herself. She thought about asking Willow for help but decided harshly against it.

Momma, what do I do? Her mother had passed away the year before which caused all hell to be let loose on her with no one there to protect her. She often would ask her mother things or tell her things though she knew her mom couldn't hear her or respond. Tara finished getting ready for school and grabbed her bag, causing more pain, and left for school.

Willow woke up happy and hummed as she got ready for school, she couldn't wait to see Tara. Willow wondered if she should say anything to Tara about her family or leave it alone, she decided she would figure it out when she saw her. Willow grabbed a green shirt that brought out the color of her eyes and a pair of black washout pants that accentuated her body. She brushed her short hair, her family hadn't even noticed she cut it, and she cut it two years ago. Willow grabbed her backpack and ran out the door.

As Willow walked to school she saw Tara, she ran up and hugged her, Tara responded in a cry of pain.

"Oh my god Tara are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Willow looked at Tara in concern before continuing "Of course I hurt you why else you be screaming in pain, god I'm so stupid sometimes…" Tara was gasping for air before looking at Willow and speaking

"W-willow, you're not the r-reason I'm in p-pain" Willow looked at her confused before her eyes became the size of saucers understanding part of why she was in pain.

"Y-your family…" Willow whispered not thinking about her words before saying them. She looked at Tara's horrified expression and explained herself "I know it's not my business but I put two and two together, I remembered seeing you in the past doing the same things I did but I never did anything or tried to talk to you because I felt that it would be weird, especially if I was wrong… Tara, I understand, let me help you." Tara looked at Willow and her expression softened, Willow was crying.

"Willow? I d-don't know if y-you c-can help me…" Willow looked the girl in the eyes at the last words, and Tara saw the pain spark in her eyes "I'm t-too far g-gone to s-save…I'm n-not w-worth it" Willow wanted to smack Tara for saying that, she was worth everything in the world, but instead of violence Willow showed love.

"Tara, you are worth everything in the world, I know I just met you yesterday but I feel like I've known you for a lot longer, when I kissed you the world kind of fell into place, I'd do anything to protect and help you, you deserve that" Willow cupped Tara's cheek as she spoke "You are beautiful and I know you are strong, I want to help." Tara leaned forward a little and then hesitated, Willow closed the gap, her lips firmly planted on Tara's to show that she meant every word of what she said before pulling back so no one saw, she hugged Tara being careful of her back "Do you need any help with your back?"

"Y-yes… Please" Tara looked into Willows eyes seeing the love in them.

"Okay well I know what to do" They walked the rest of the way to school together. When they got to the school Willow led Tara to the library. Willow greeted the librarian with a hug "Hey, Giles, can I get into the cage?" Giles handed her the keys to the "cage" as they had dubbed it. Willow unlocked it before grabbing Tara's hand and leading her in. Once in the cage Willow grabbed bandages out of a compartment and led Tara behind a bookshelf. "Okay so, the awkward part… You have to take off your shirt… And your bra…"

"I-it's n-no problem" Tara said with a little smile at Willow, Tara removed her shirt and bra with no complaint, she was so grateful for the help and someone who cared. Willows eyes widened when she saw Tara's back

"Oh my god… Tara this is horrible" Willow couldn't believe someone could hurt someone so beautiful so much "What did he use on you?" Tara ducked her head in shame.

"A b-belt…" Willow let out a grunt of rage, and they heard the cage door open.

"Bloody hell!" An English accented voice came from the doorway. Giles stood behind Willow, and started cleaning his glasses "Willow, what, what is going on here? What happened to this poor girl?" Willow looked at Tara and Tara responded.

"M-my f-father and b-brother…" Tara replied shamefully. "It was m-my f-fault, I-I shouldn't h-have come h-home la-late" Rage filled Giles and Willow, and Giles a normally very reserved man punched a bookshelf

"Tara, I think that you should move in with Willow or I, I understand that I've just met you and it is very weird for an older school librarian to ask a student to move in with them, but you would be safe." Giles spoke softly to Tara "Tara when is your 18th birthday?"

"T-today" Tara looked at Willow who was still bandaging her back and saw the sadness in the red heads eyes. "I-I'd love t-to move o-out b-but they w-would find m-me and and h-hurt y-you…" Willow was done bandaging Tara and Tara put her shirt back on.

"Well, Tara, happy birthday… Do you want to go home?" Willow asked, Tara shook her heard no. "Then you don't have to, you would be safe with Giles or I. Tara, I want to help you, if he ever tried to hurt one of us the police would be involved, and Giles can hold his own in a fight, Buffy would help as well, you know she is strong, she helped you yesterday."

"I-I'm scared…" Tara looked at the older man and the young woman "I d-don't w-want to g-go back there" Tara started crying, Willow leaned forward and held her, whispering to her to say everything's going to be okay.

"Why's everyone in the- Tara, Willow, are you okay?" Buffy walked in and saw Willow holding Tara and Tara crying and knew something was wrong.

"Buffy, I think it's best if you and I left these two alone" Giles grabbed Buffy's arm gently and they walked out of the cage. Willow brought Tara's head up and looked her in the eyes

"We need to get to class but tonight you are staying at my house" Tara started to speak but Willow continued "No buts, you are staying with me. We can get your stuff later, we'll bring Giles and Buffy and they'll make sure nothing happens, you can be free"

"W-What about your p-parents?" Tara saw Willows resolve face and knew she wasn't going to live with her brother and father anymore.

"They're never home anymore, and even if they were home, they ignore me" Willow spoke softly. Tara and Willow walked out of the cage and Buffy ran forward hugging her best friend and newfound friend and Willow grabbed Buffy as Tara squeaked in pain. "Buffy, Tara is injured. Remember what I told you last night?"

"That you have the hots for Tara or the family thing?" Willow blushed, Tara's eyes widened, and Giles choked on his tea.

"The family suspicion thing, suspicion has been confirmed" Willow replied trying to overlook the fact that Buffy just threw it out there that she "had the hots" for Tara. Buffy looked at Willow, then to Tara, and back to Willow. "That's why we were in the cage, we were fixing her up,"

"Oh my god… Tara, are you going back there, are you going to stay with somebody 'cause I'd be willing to share my room or there's the guest room in the basement, I'd be willing to give you boarding, protection, and food!" Buffy looked at Tara with hope that the young woman was not going to be staying with her monster of a family

"N-no, I-I'm staying with W-Willow, and w-we're gonna g-get m-my stuff. I-I'd like it i-if you guys w-would help…" Tara looked at her feet and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The bell rang and they realized that Willow and Tara had missed first period and at this rate they all were going to miss second and they all scurried off to class.

Later in the day Willow and Tara talked to Xander and got him to agree to help. Xander was never going to admit it to anyone but he had, had a crush on Tara when she first moved there but got over it when he met Anya. Xander and Tara had been friends up until her mother died, then Tara stopped talking to everyone, when she did speak she stuttered even more than before, she started wearing different clothes, like long sleeves all the time, Xander wanted to be like a brother to her, better than the one she had.

Anya was definitely a jealous type, over 1100 years old her jealousy got her to where she was, being an ex-vengeance demon. She had seen Tara around before and saw that Xander always tried to make her laugh and wanted to make sure Tara wouldn't steal Xander away from her. Anya realized that Tara was no threat and wanted to be her friend so now that she was given the opportunity to do so and do something good to prove to her new found friends she was no longer evil, agreed to help Tara.

TBC

A/N: This chapter was difficult to write, I didn't know where to go at some points and just kind of winged it, I also would get interrupted in the middle of a good idea and forget what one earth I was doing. AND I DECIDED ON DOING HELLMOUTHY STUFF! ALSO: Halloween made me forget to upload this on Friday :P and yea I know everything is all angsty while their liking each other is all like perfect and not at all realistic, maybe it's just because I wish things were that easy. Please review.