AN: Well, this one went through about a dozen rewrites. Remember that angst I mentioned in the description? Which has so far just been fluffy fluffiness? Well... Here ya go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or the Beatles.

Also, on the title. This chapter may seem to have little to do with the song Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. But that song makes no sense, so it seemed the right choice for this particular chapter.

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

She'd dropped the coat off of her shoulders some way back. She felt so weak. Even with Buffy supporting her she'd still felt too heavy. Now she regretted it as her upper body felt basically frozen. Better than how she felt inside though. At some point around the time had been about to crucify her with her own knife she'd just lost it. Not in a going crazy rage way, because she'd already done that. In a simple, no hope way. Glory had taken everything Willow could throw at her, and been weakened hugely. Yet she was still strong enough to keep pace with Buffy, easily. Glory had taken everything she had in both senses now, she supposed.

Well, Tara wasn't gone. But she wasn't exactly there either. She hadn't recognized her.

Glory had taken away the thing she loved most in the world and had acted like it was nothing. Glory had taken the full brunt of her strength and walked it off. Glory had taken the sanity of so many innocent people and acted like it was lunch. The Master had been evil. Angelus had been evil. The Mayor had been insane. Adam had been amoral. But Glory? Glory was on a whole new level. She walked over people and destroyed them without a care. Adam had been curious and Angelus sadistic. But Glory just walked over people because it was easier than walking around them.

And she couldn't be beat.

Willow's legs started dragging beneath her. As soon as Buffy stopped to check on her she sunk to the ground, sitting on the curb and cradled her head in her hands. She felt warm tears trace down her checks, and after a moment a sob tore through her body.

After a few moments of sobbing, she looked up at Buffy, who was looking at her coldly. She felt so small.

"What were you thinking?" she asked with her now near patented disapproving voice. Willow didn't answer, instead focusing on the road beneath her feet. After a long moment, she felt Buffy's arm wrap around her shoulder. She was shaking from the cold and anger, but at the warmth of Buffy's touch felt a little better. Her head found Buffy's shoulder and she sniffled quietly. "Don't worry" Buffy whispered, and Willow felt a hand stroking her hair comfortingly. "I know why. It's… I get it"

Willow didn't know how long they sat like that, and she didn't know how they looked to passers by, but she didn't care. Eventually, Buffy spoke.

"Come on, you're half frozen and all splotchy. You can stay with me and Dawn for the night of you like" she said, carefully pulling Willow to her feet. She didn't resist, but she didn't help.

"No, I have to be near… I'll stay in the waiting room. Then I can check Tara out first thing" Willow replied, stumbling slightly in the vague direction of the hospital.

"Will, Giles is there, he'll let us know if anything changes. You have to sleep" Buffy said, grabbing but not pulling Willow's arm.

"Buffy" Willow said, turning to her. Something flickered through Buffy's eyes, and she sighed. "OK, I'll walk you there before I pick Dawn up"

She hugged her knees to her chest and looked around the waiting room. Giles was probably just in the bathroom but she didn't want to miss him sleeping under a coat of some kind. She couldn't see him, at least, so it wasn't that likely he was hidden somewhere.

She really wished she hadn't dropped her coat. It would give her something to snuggle under and try to forget the horror of what was going on in the world. She wouldn't be able to, of course, but it would have been nice to try.

Instead, she hurt. It was an ache in her stomach, pulsing up into her head and eyes. Right now, she should have been curled up in bed with Tara, either asleep or close to it. There would be afterglow, and mumbles conversation. She would start babbling about something and Tara would swoop in and kiss her.

Instead she was huddled in an uncomfortable chair waiting…

Just as her eyes started to drift closed, a coat was carefully placed over her. She looked up to see Giles, holding two cups of tea. He handed her one and sat next to her, sipping the other.

"I saw you as I came back from the toilet and got you tea" Giles said quietly. She nodded.

"Thanks" she said blandly "Just how I like it"

"I know. A good Englishman never messes up a loved ones tea" he said. At that she smiled a little.

"I hate this place more every time we come here" Willow said after a few seconds.

"We do seem to be making more visits as of late" Giles said with a look of distaste. "I'd rather we stopped coming here at all, however unlikely it may be"

"We can dream" Willow said.

"Listen, Willow. I've known you for something like five years now, and in that time I feel I've gotten to know you very well" Giles started. It seemed to burst forth like something he had been planning and trying to fit in to the perfect moment. "I've seen you mature from a bright young girl into a brilliant young woman, and I'm sure I'll see you grow more. And I know things may feel a little darker and less hopeful-"

"More like hopeless" Willow cut in, though Giles kept on, after a small nod of acknowledgement.

"-But, if there were any person I would trust with my health, it would be you Willow. And I'm sure Tara feels the same way. I've only known her for a year, but in that time I've seen her come out of her shell, because of you. I've seen the two of you and I know you can rely on one another. If anyone could help Tara, it's you" he finished. She felt a grin form. It was high praise, especially from Giles. He wasn't stingy with compliments, but when he did give them they always felt well earned.

"Thanks Giles. But, I don't know where I'm supposed to start" she said quietly.

"Where we always start" he replied, grinning. "Research"

"Books would be nice. Something to-" she yawned "-distract me"

She leaned her head on Giles' shoulder. It was warm and comfortable, and she felt very nurtured.

"Get some sleep, I'll wake you if anything happens" he said, but she was already drifting away. Just as she reached the edge of sleep, she spoke quietly, a murmur she wasn't sure Giles even heard.

"You're the best dad a gal' could have Giles"

"Thank you for driving Xander. I don't think I'm exactly up to it" Giles said, yawning heavily as he did so. Xander smiled at him easily.

"No problem Giles. Are Willow and Tara OK in the back?" he asked, focusing on the road. Giles turned to look at the pair. Willow grinmaced back. She was still tired, but felt marginally better now. Tara was being quiet, watching the buildings pass by them with interest. She turned to look at Giles, grinning vaguely.

"It's always the vectors. They always jump you, when you're focusing on the tangents" she said to him, smiling like she'd come up with a big revelation, before going back to watching the passing houses. Willow rubbed her arm reassuringly, and Tara smiled. Giles turned back to Willow.

"Are you sure you'll be able to look after her? She can always come and stay at my-" he started, but she cut him off.

"No, you were right. I can… I can do this" she said, looking firm.

They arrived at the college, and Xander stopped the car. Willow got out and moved to help Tara but Xander was already there, holding her hand as she stepped out.

"Thank you" she said regally. She then turned to Willow "Am I supposed to tip the pirate?" she asked naturally. Xander raised an eyebrow at Willow.

"No tip required ma'am" he said, nodding. She grinned.

"Six sixteenths of thirty two are twenty two more than I expected" she said. Xander just nodded in response as Willow reached them. Xander kissed her on the forehead in a small gesture.

"I know you can do something with that big brain of yours Will. We'll get Glory and we'll fix Tara" he said.

"Of course Xand." she nodded in response, before taking Tara's elbow lightly. "Wanna go home baby?"

"Home's where the heart is. But I left it in the sky. I asked them to let me keep it, but they said deliveries are their top priority" Tara said, nodding assuredly. Willow just led her away, head bowed.

"Whatever you say baby" she said in defeat. Xander and Giles and everyone may have tried to fill her with confidence, but she knew what was far more likely.

Tara would stay like this forever, Glory would find Dawn and, as Buffy said, 'give her a good twist'. They would fail, Glory would win and the gang would be lucky to survive.

As she began to get sucked down into a spiral of doubt and anger, she felt Tara pulling at her arm. She turned, and saw the grinning girl, for a moment, just a moment, as herself.

And she realised Glory would have to fight tooth and nail to stop her saving Tara.

Just a note: I've never had to deal with someone with any sort of mental condition, at least not one as severe as Tara's at this point. And though I tried to do a little research, I'm not sure if there's anything that quite covers what happens in the show, so I just tried to go with what we saw. I'm sorry if I horribly misrepresented it any way, shape or form.