A/N thanks for the reviews, keep them coming! This is another short chapter but it needed got out of the way so that I could get the other things solved in the next couple of chapters.
Chapter Six
As Willow's lips moved still closer to Tara's with her pleading eyes boring into the blonde's, Xander walked into the room. He cleared his throat and Willow moved away from the love of her life. "Hi Xander," Tara said as her muscles began to relax.
He smiled a sad but knowing smile at Tara. "Hey gals," he popped open a can of Pepsi and turned back for the other room. "I got thirsty." He said and gave Tara a small smile to return her smile of gratitude and left the room.
"Willow," Tara began in hopes of getting a handle of the situation before Willow decided to try for another kiss. "You have Kennedy and I am talking with someone. I don't think we should get into the kissing stage because technically that is cheating." Tara's words were true but sounded lame to her as they rolled off her tongue.
"You're right," Willow said dejectedly and rounded the table to pick up the phone that sat on the counter. "Tara, give me one reason that is plausible to not call her and I won't. Otherwise, it's a done deal and she's out of my life."
Tara rounded the table swiftly and grabbed up the cordless phone in her hands. She looked at Willow with a determined but sad look in her eyes. "That right there is the reason. When it comes to me Willow, you can't think sensibly at all. You can't just split up with someone that you have been with for quite some time over the phone. You can't just call her, call things off and expect me to run into your arms like before we split up. We have both been through a great deal since our last meeting and it's impossible to just pick up where we left off!" Tara's face displayed pure anguish as she spoke but she knew that she was doing the right thing. "Willow, you have been with Kennedy for a couple of years now from what I hear. You cannot tell me that you don't have feelings for her."
Willow looked straight into Tara's eyes with determination in her own eyes. "Tara, I wanted to kill everything in my path when I thought you were dead. Of course I care for Kennedy but you are my world Tara Maclay. You are what makes me eat, sleep and breathe daily because I know that you would not want me to harm myself. The truth is, without you, I am nothing and I have nothing."
Tara gazed into Willow's eyes and saw beyond a shadow of a doubt that the woman was speaking from the heart. She knew that she loved Willow deeply and always would but was as determined to not go back into the pain that she and Willow shared as Willow was to pull her back into it. "Willow I love you dearly and I always will. There is a place reserved in my heart for you that nobody will ever be able to touch. This place holds a deep love but also harbors a few more things. Hurt for the mind spell, fear for what you could become if I don't comply with your way of doing things and moreover, sadness because I cannot get beyond these things and rebuild our love. You have to truly let go of me Willow and then you can begin to heal." Tara finished speaking and turned quickly away from the redhead. She feared that if she saw the pain she was causing Willow, or tears in those beautiful green eyes, that she would cave in and begin to rebuild the bliss they once shared.
As Tara walked off, Willow slumped against the kitchen counter and wept. She wept for the love that she had ruined because of a magic addiction, deceit and flat out manipulation. Deep down, she knew that Tara was right but felt that their relationship could be fixed if Tara would just try. She knew that what they had was something special, so much that people are lucky to find it once in a lifetime. "I love you Tara, with every fiber within my being." Willow whispered quietly and walked out into the night.
"I love you too Willow." Tara said in a hushed voice from just inside the other room. She couldn't totally leave without knowing that Willow would be all right. As Buffy came up behind her and swept her into a firm embrace, the tears began to trickle down Tara's cheeks.
"I know this is hurting you badly Tara. I will totally understand if you want to go after her or even be with her. Angel and I have this deep connection too and it's one that will never be severed." Buffy wiped the tears from Tara's face as she spoke in a soothing tone. It was breaking her heart to say those words to Tara but she had to convey her feelings properly. Someone had to be the bigger person and be willing to walk away if necessary and Buffy didn't see that the person would be Willow.
"You walked away though Buffy." Tara said softly and began to relax in the slayer's comforting embrace.
"Yes I did but it wasn't easy. I will never ask nor try to force you to choose one of us Tara. That is your choice and I will respect whatever that choice is no matter how it makes me feel on the inside." Buffy gingerly spun Tara around as she spoke so that Tara could look into her eyes and see the truth behind her words. "The last thing I want to do is hurt you Tara and I will do everything in my power to keep from doing that."
"That's why I want to stay with you Buffy." Tara's decision was so quick and precise that it stunned even her. "You're good and not selfish at all. You care about my feelings more then you do your own and that's important. I love Willow but I can't go back Buffy. It's just so hard to let go because I do love her so much."
Buffy felt an overwhelming feeling of euphoria when Tara said that she wanted to be with her. She felt bad for Willow but if Tara had made her choice, Buffy would do whatever she could to see that her wishes were carried out. "If you're sure this is what you want Tara then I will stand by you in whatever you have to do to straighten it out with Willow."
"She's your best friend Buffy." Tara said in a faint voice that told Buffy that Tara did not want to ruin what she and Willow had between them.
"I will always care for Willow and be there if she needs me Tara. We haven't been the same since you all brought me back from the dead however, and I think everyone knows it. I don't want to hurt Will either but I have a chance at happiness that she blew in a big way and I don't want to screw it up if you want to be with me." Buffy's eyes shined with compassion, sadness and love as she spoke to Tara, who picked up on the emotions that Buffy was trying to show her.
"You're right," she said softly as the two drew closer and shared a gentle kiss. A kiss that left Dawn standing at the top of the stairs with an astonished look on her face.