As always i own nothing. BTVS is clearly not my work.

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Tara sighed as she clambered out of bed, in her dorm room once again. The very one she occupied when she was first falling in love with Willow. The room now seemed very much the same and she smiled at the thought of once again sharing the room with her red head.

If Willow wanted to come back.

She had been so hurt, the word hurt seemed to be an understatement for Willow's pain. Tara had felt each of Willow's actions, still felt all of Willow. Every shudder, every tear, the way Willow's soul shattered with every breath, she felt all of what Willow did, and after Willow had stumbled back to good, she felt the guilt. The shame of her misuse, the alienation from everyone, and the weight of Willow's guilt over every breath that she took when her lover could breath no more.

Now Tara's being was conflicted. She could have done so much more for Willow, should have done much more for Willow. She had allowed her lover to sink slowly until she was in over her head and then she had left. Hindsight's twenty twenty, at the time it seemed as if leaving would keep Willow from magic. Willow who lived on a hellmouth and was Buffy the Vampire slayers best friend...

The moment Tara had awakened in her house with her father looming over her, she remembered everything and promptly left. Her house, her family were all once again in her past where they belonged. Applying for early admission to U.C. Sunnydale had been a breeze and within a week her bags were packed, she was ready for summer classes. The memories of her days in limbo were hazy but she knew that Willow, her Willow, would be waiting.

Glancing around her dorm room once again she saw all of the places where Willow should have left a book or a jacket, empty. Shaking her head she headed out her door, planning a short trip to the magic box. She was low on incense.

The rays of sunlight bore down upon her as she walked across campus, and throughout most of Sunnydale, each corner reminding her of a better time with Willow. The redhead stumbling through a rambled mess of words came to mind as she passed one of their favored resturants. Tara's eyes misted as she saw Willow's I love you smile. The one the redhead reserved for her, it came to mind as she passed a bookstore that Willow had shown her. Crossing the street she felt something plow into her, and fell to the ground hot asphalt scalding her flesh.

Opening her eyes she saw wide green staring back into hers, rimmed with red.

They stayed in that position for eternity until horns blaring from the cars of inpatient fools brought them back.

"Tara."

Willow murmured stunned, Tara gently took her hand leading Willow out of the street and into the magic box collapsing together at the edge of a book shelf hidden from the world. Tara was unsure as to weather her hand was shaking or if the movement was coming from Willow. Somehow she knew that it was both of them, looking into Willow's eyes she saw pain, desperation, and love.

They were silently battling themselves, each to insecure to make the first move. Until Willow reached up, brushed a stray strand of hair from Tara's face, then hesitantly captured Tara's lips with her own. The kiss broke after seconds as Willow collapsed sobbing into Tara's shoulder clinging to the blonds as tightly as she could. Smiling lightly Tara wondered if Willow could get any closer.

"Willow."

And she wrapped her arms around her love. They were togerher.

That was all that mattered, they were complete. There was nothing more than that.

"I'm sorry."

Willow choked out and Tara's mind caught up to her heart as Willow's mistakes reared their head. But Tara knew she had made quite a few of her own mistakes and gently she wiped away Willow's tears and kissed Willow's eyelinds.

"I know. Oh Willow, i Kknow. I ssaw everything, and you came bback. Bback to the light. I I I'm so pproud."

Green eyes looked up at her frightened, ready to break once again. They met the warmth of Tara eyes once again Willow buried her head into Tara's shoulder remembering all of her, holding all that Tara was so close. There was an obvious thought, shared between the women about the evilness of clothing...

"Mmaybe we should take this tto your hhouse?"

Willow could only nod and the second they stood her lover had laced their fingers, clinging to her left arm as she led her home. Tara smiled gently at Willow, trying to convey that she was not indeed going to disappear suddenly, or die on her... again. They would have to talk about that...later.

The streets became more familar to Tara and soon they were on Willow's old street, and then standing in front of Willow's parents house. They were in Willow's room within seconds of entering the house and laying in bed within seconds of entering the room, Willow holding her as tightly as she could, with Tara's fingers gently running through the redhead's hair.

"I ddon't deserve you."

The stutter, and crushed tone caused Tara's heart to stop for an eternity of seconds, and whatever answer she had was instantly choked. Willow mistook the stunned silence as one of agreement. Silent tears began crashing down her cheeks and Tara firmly lifted Willow's chin, meeting Willow's eyes. Sitting up she focused all of her entity on conveying the message both of their souls ached for.

"I love you, Willow. Nnothing eeverything won't change wwith a cup of coffee, bbut as llong as I breathe I will love you. Nnothing can change that. You're beautiful, and strong, and yyou want so much to help. Tto make everything right again. Yyou're methonds aare wrong but yyou're heart is aalways iin the right place. Wwhen I walk into aany room aand you're there, I have tto pause for a ssecond, because mmy heart skips a bbeat. Wwe've both made wwrong choices, bbut you came bback, and wwe'll work through everything. Together, that's wwhat we ddeserve."

Tears, but still their hearts were mending.

At the same time Tara cursed her stutter that only worsened as tears streamed down her face, Willow's tears were mixing with her own. Gently she reached out and placed her hand against the side of Willow's face.

"I still am, you know?"

"What?"

"Yours."

The next chapter i can promise will have a much happier tone, should you want a Willow/ Tara quote of your own in this chapter simply leave it to me in a review or message me, I'll work it in. I'm goint to try and continue updating twice a week, however I make no promises.

I would love for someone to review-it lets me know that my chapters are worth reading and such.

To all of my readers stay safe and have a wonderful day.

yours truely

green shoelaces