Note: I know I took away Tara's stutter but I never liked it. She was pretty smart and when she stuttered through half her sentences it made her seem unconfident.

Tara looked at her magical binds, she had to do something or Willow would die. If she was channeling Willow's power than she could use it. Chanting a spell softly to take control of the power from Rack. Willow was held in his grasp being visibly crushed from the force of Rack's rage. She suddenly went limp, he dropped her dead weight turning to finish Tara off next. Her chanting grew louder and more hurried as she tried to capture the power that was quickly running from her to Rack. Stepping up to her, this had turned out to be his kinda day.

"Well lover," he sneered. "She's history, you're next."

He grabbed her arm to drag her up when violent shocks started running through him, he looked down into her eyes.

Using his words from earlier, "You didn't think it'd be that easy did you?" she taunted him.

He felt the energy being pulled from him

"No, stop its mine." he begged.

"Now its mine," she said

Channeling the magicks back from Rack to Willow's unconscious form, feeling the power course through her she wondered how Willow dealt with it. She couldn't imagine living with all of that inside her. It had to be nearly impossible to control. Rack crumbled from the brutal theft of the magick that he had taken. Overloaded from the assault his body began to spasm jerkily.

Her bonds released Tara went to Willow who was coming to.

"Are you okay," Tara asked shakily.

Willow hugging her midsection nodded. "How," she asked.

" I got lucky," Tara smiled.

Willow went to touch her, but her hand slipped through Tara's. She sucked in her breath looking into her eyes.

"No," she whispered. "Please."

"You know I can't stay." Tara said.

"No, you have to I can't lose you again. I need you to stay with me. Please don't go." Willow started crying still trying to touch her soul mate.

"Willow you never lost me, I'm always with you." Tara trying to console her.

"I can find a way," Willow begged her eyes taking on a black hue.

"Willow no," Tara interrupted her. "Don't, its going to be ok. All the things that happened, I know how much you suffer from the guilt. You have to forgive yourself. Remember how much I love you, I'm always with you, always waiting for you. I want you to live your life. I want you to be free and find happiness."

Willow tears were running freely down her face she wiped them away with the backs of her hands.

"I don't know if I can," she said.

"You can, you will," She put her hand over Willows. She could almost feel her.

"I have to go back Willow," Tara bent to Willow sliding a hand near her cheek.

"Oh Tara, baby I love you," Willow whispered.

"I love you too," Tara answered. She stood and backed away then blinked out of existence, back to Heaven.

Willow wiped her eyes again and looked over at Rack preparing to deal with him. She realized there was no longer a reason. The transfers were too much, his body couldn't take it. She had barely managed to survive it herself. She shook her head at how badly she had misjudged the situation. Stumbling to the way out she stepped into the night air. The coolness felt like a blessing.Looking around she realized she was back in Sunnydale. Back to where it all had started so long ago she laughed softly to herself at the irony. New beginnings, Tara's voice whispered in her mind.

Okay baby, she thought. Heading in the direction of where her friends were likely to be she hoped with all her heart she could live up to Tara's expectations.