A/N: Please take the time to check out To Love Again by BL Clark, aka Gimpy72. It is a fantastic story. I think each of you will enjoy it if you read it.
Chapter Five: Finding Peace
Previously in A Dark Time...
"A-actually, she's n-not," Tara told her, nervously shifting as she opened the door further for Willow to see inside.
On the bed, Jayden was curled up, sleeping soundly. Willow watched as her daughter's chest rose and fell with each breath she took and a soft smile graced the little girl's lips. At the sight of her daughter in the stranger's bed, Willow closed her eyes and reopened them, revealing the darkness inside of her as the green was gone and the monster that was Dark Willow took it's place.
"Big mistake," the dark witch admitted, raising her hand towards the witch before her.
"W-wait! I can e-explain!" Tara said, holding up her hands in defense.
A sadistic chuckle escaped Dark Willow's lips as she stepped towards the terrified blonde. "Alright. Explain. Tell me why I shouldn't just kill you now?" she wondered, amusement filling her voice as she waited for the blonde's explanation.
"S-she came to m-m-me! She was sc-scared and c-c-crying! She just showed up at my d-door!"
Willow froze, green sparks showing through the black. "What are you talking about?" Willow asked, looking at her child's sleeping form on the blonde's bed.
"She told me s-someone was trying to h-hurt you. T-that you told h-her to h-hide," Tara explained, her voice full of fear as she tried to explain everything to the dark witch.
"Why should I believe you?"
"B-b-because it's the t-truth."
Willow stared into the scared blue eyes for a long time before nodding as green replaced black once more. "May I come in?" she asked, pointing into the room at her daughter. "I want to check on her. I need to make sure she's alright before I lose control again," Willow wondered, staring at her daughter's sleeping form.
"O-of c-course," Tara whispered, opening the door further and moving out of the way so that Willow could enter.
Willow quickly made her way into the room and to her daughter's side, stopping as soon as she felt the connection from her daughter once more. Reaching out, Willow brushed her finger's down the little girl's cheek, grateful to feel that control that only her daughter could give snap back into place.
"Mommy?" Jayden whispered, waking up slightly at the familiar feel of her mother's touch.
"Hey, Baby Girl. You scared me," Willow told her, moving her hand to touch her daughter's soft red hair. "I thought something happened to you."
"I'm sorry. I was scared and was wishing that Tara was there 'cause she's so nice and would have helped you protect us. I don't know how, but I ended up here, Mommy. I didn't mean to," Jayden explained, giving her mother a sad look.
"It's okay, Baby," Willow said, pulling her daughter into her arms. "It's okay." Did she use magic? Willow wondered, trying to make sense of her daughter's words.
"What about the mean lady?"
"Buffy?" Willow asked, confused. "She's not going to touch you. I'll never let anyone take you from me."
Relaxing at her mother's words, Jayden cuddled further into her mother's arms. "I love you, Mommy," she whispered, burying her head into the crook of Willow's neck.
"I love you too, Baby Girl."
Watching from the doorway, Tara felt herself relax at the softer side of the dark witch. She could tell the witch cared for the small child. She could even see the love that was clear between mother and daughter, and the strong bound that came from that love.
After a few seconds of just holding Jayden, Willow remembered the light witch in the room and turned her head to look at her. "Thank you," Willow said, her voice soft and full of gratitude.
Tara just nodded, giving Willow a soft smile instead of answering. They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments, caught by some strange sensation that wasn't allowing them to look away.
When Willow felt Jayden lean heavily against her, she turned away to look down at her daughter's sleeping form. "I should take her home," Willow whispered, standing up with her daughter in her arms.
Tara nodded. "I'm s-sorry. A-about e-earlier," Tara stuttered, not looking into Willow's green eyes.
Willow frowned. "I'm the one thats sorry. I nearly tried to kill you and all you did was keep her safe and calm her down. Thank you," Willow said, giving Tara a soft smile.
It surprised Tara how right that smile looked on Willow's face. It lit up the dark witch's features, giving her a look of innocence that the darkness usually claimed.
"Um...if-if it's alright. C-can I see her a-again? She's s-such an a-amazing little g-girl," Tara asked, a hopeful look on her face and in her eyes as she looked at Willow.
Willow stiffened as the word 'no' came to the tip of her tongue but stopped before she could say it. As she looked into the pleading blue eyes, Willow couldn't force the word out and nodded. "Yeah. I'll bring her to the park to see you again," Willow promised.
Tara gave her a gentle smile. "Th-thank you. If it's e-easier for you, y-y-you can bring her h-here as w-well," Tara told her, looking into the clear emerald eyes.
Willow just nodded, not sure how to respond as she walked out the door and headed home.
Walking into the house, Willow laid her daughter on her bed and then laid beside her, wanting to hold her daughter after the fear of losing her had overwhelmed her earlier that day. She closed her green eyes and enjoyed the feel of her daughter's small form in her arms, letting herself relax at the familiar sense of holding her little girl in her arms.
"I love you so much my baby. I can't afford to ever lose you," Willow whispered as she held her daughter close.
Giving her daughter a soft kiss on the top of the head, Willow held her child tight as tears fell from her eyes, the stress of the day finally getting to her. "Goddess, I can't ever lose you," Willow repeated, her heart breaking at the thought of never being able to hold her daughter again.
"I love you, Mommy," Jayden mumbled in her sleep, partially aware of her mother's inner turmoil.
"Shh, sleep now. I'm here, my Baby, and I love you more than anything in this world. More than life itself."
A/N: Thank you Gimpy72 for all your help with this story and all my other stories. Also thank you Matash21 for the awesome cover photo.