It was three days before Buffy heard anything from Riley, and the Slayer was climbing the walls in anxiety. She was in the midst of planning an assault on the Initiative to rescue him when the Marine showed up on their doorstep, shaky and confused, but healthy and safe.
Buffy had been hunting the creature Walsh had called Adam relentlessly for a week since then, barely sleeping in between patrols at all hours of the day and night. They were all at Giles' apartment trying to figure out where Adam could be hiding, or what his plan might be when the hospital called to tell them that Faith had woken up, adding one more stress to their already tense lives. The Slayer sent everyone home to hide, including sending Willow back into hiding at Tara's dorm.
Tara was quiet as they walked back to campus. For all the danger and fear they'd been dealing with recently, she couldn't say she hated all the opportunities it afforded for Willow to stay over. Willow was on her crutches, using every chance she had to practice and get stronger, trying to prepare as best she could for the quickly approaching day when she'd get her cast off.
"So, Faith is bad news?" Tara asked. "No one really seemed too happy that she's woken up out of her coma."
"Faith is bad news," Willow confirmed as they waited on the elevator. "And she hates us all," she added mock-cheerfully.
"Yay," Tara deadpanned, opening her door. "You know, we really should just get you a key made," she commented offhandedly, blushing as soon as the words were out of her mouth.
Willow grinned brightly, but kept her voice calm. "Yeah, I mean, that would make sense," she agreed, her happy smile showing how giddy that suggestion made her. It was true that she'd spent more time in Tara's room than she had in her own lately. There was even a drawer in Tara's dresser that was now used to store Willow's clothes.
They had only been in the room for a few minutes when there was a pounding on the door. They exchanged confused looks, Willow shrugging as she dropped herself into her chair.
"It's me!" Buffy called loudly through the door. "Change of plans," she announced. Tara opened the door, the Slayer coming in almost before it was opened more than a crack. "Pack a bag," she directed, moving to Tara's phone and dialing without speaking to them again. They could see that she'd been in a fight, a bruise rising on her cheek and her bottom lip split and bleeding.
"Xander, pack up you and Anya and go to my house. Tell my mom we're on our way." She didn't listen to his questions, hanging up the phone and dialing again rapidly. "Giles, get to my house now. Xander and Anya are heading that way and Willow and Tara are with me," she said. "Tell my mom about Faith. Keep her safe until I get there," Buffy ordered, grateful that her Watcher didn't demand an explanation, just agreed.
The witches were staring at her in confusion, but Tara had put some of their clothes into a duffel bag, following the Slayer's directions without asking why. Buffy sighed, mustering a smile with an effort. "Faith, she was outside Giles' tonight, she was following you two here. Hence the relocation, and my bloody lip," she commented, wiping blood from her hand to her pants with a grimace.
"You chased her off?" Tara asked.
"But Faith knows where you live," Willow protested.
"And now she knows where to find you and Giles and it's only a matter of time before she finds Xander. We can protect each other better if we're together," Buffy said, eyes shifting to Tara. "Ready to go?"
"I could stay here," Tara said, still confused. "She doesn't know me…"
"She knows Willow was coming here and that's all she needs to know. She'd hurt you to hurt Willow," Buffy said, knowing that she was being harsh, but the need to hurry was rolling in her stomach.
Tara glanced down at Willow in her chair, nodding. "Okay," she agreed softly.
"What about Riley?" Willow asked. "He was at Giles' and she had to have seen him."
Buffy nodded, picking the phone up again. The witches exchanged looks as the Slayer talked briefly on the phone, giving her boyfriend directions to her house.
"How come you didn't call him first?" Willow asked curiously as they went into the hall.
Buffy shrugged, looking almost guilty. "You know how it is with Faith…she makes things complicated," she said. "Especially between me and my boyfriends…" She caught Tara's confused glance. "She has a knack," Buffy added bitterly. "It just seemed like it would be easier if Riley was out of the loop on this one, but you're right Will, she'd screw him just to screw with me."
"She'd try," Willow corrected her. "Riley wouldn't do that though. He likes you, not skanky Faith-types."
Buffy smiled absently down at her friend, grateful for the reminder even as an image of Faith rubbing herself against Angel flashed through her mind. "You're right again Will, thanks."
They walked as quickly as they could off campus, Buffy moving constantly around them, eyes straining for the slightest sign that Faith was nearby. They got to the house right after Giles did, Xander and Anya already sitting on the couch while Joyce was in the middle of pouring coffees for them.
"Mom," Buffy greeted her, relieved to see her safe. She blinked at the tray of coffee on the table, laughing despite the serious situation. "This isn't a tea party, Mom," she said, hugging her mother.
"Rupert told me some of what's going on. Faith escaped?" Joyce asked, frowning down at her daughter while she kept one arm curled around her shoulder protectively.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah, so we're camped out here until she shows herself or I can find her."
"You're not going out after her, are you?" Joyce asked, worried.
"Not tonight," Buffy agreed. "Riley's on his way here, so we'll keep a rotating watch." She surveyed the group. "Xander, Anya, you guys can sleep up on the futon in the spare room. Giles, you can take my room." She ruffled Willow's hair teasingly, smirking as the witch swatted at her hands. "And with your leg, I'm afraid you're stuck with the couch. Sorry Will, Tara. At least it's wide, you two should sleep alright."
There was a knock on the door, and Buffy stood up on her toes to check the window before she opened the door for Riley. Her mother was giving her an arched look when she turned back and she grinned sheepishly.
"I guess I should make some introductions. Mom, this is my boyfriend, Riley Finn. Riley, this is my mother, Joyce Summers." She caught sight of Tara lingering behind Willow's chair and she pointed the blonde witch out. "And this is our friend Tara," she added, not sure how to address the change in Willow's relationship with her mom and not wanting to say anything without talking to Willow first. "Tara, my mom," she finished her introductions, smiling encouragingly to the shy blonde witch.
Joyce accepted Riley's handshake, waving to Tara across the room. "Nice to have everyone here," Joyce said, shooting Buffy a look of reproof. "We'll have to do it again on a night when we're not being hunted by a murderous lunatic."
Buffy lifted both hands in defense, shaking her head. "Fine Mom, I get the message," she agreed, smiling accommodatingly at her mother. "We'll plan something."
"Would anyone like anything to drink?" Joyce asked the group, smiling when Giles lifted one hand. "I have your tea in the kitchen, Rupert," she commented, ignoring Buffy's exasperated look.
"Excellent, thank you, Joyce," Giles said, adjusting his glasses on his nose as he moved past the stairs toward the kitchen.
"Anyone else? Willow, dear, can I get you anything?" she asked considerately.
Willow smiled, shaking her head. "Thank you, but I'm fine, Mrs. Summers."
Buffy rolled her eyes at her mother, schooling her face back to normal before her mom's eyes landed on her again. "Okay, now that hostessing is over," she commented sarcastically. Her mom went into the kitchen to help Giles with his tea and find something to set out as a finger food.
Buffy moved into the living room, the others following her without speaking. Willow parked her chair in front of the fireplace, Tara lingering close to her in the unfamiliar place. Buffy glanced at them, taking a seat on the edge of the low coffee table, bringing herself to eye level with Willow.
"Do you want me to talk to my mom?" Buffy asked, keeping her voice low. "She'll probably be too distracted by this Faith stuff to notice anything, but I don't want you guys to feel uncomfortable."
Willow glanced up at Tara, but the blonde witch shrugged, willing to leave Willow's coming out up to Willow. "I need to tell her," Willow said. "Now's probably not the best time though…" She glanced up guiltily at Tara, but the blonde was watching Anya search for change in the sofa, the witch biting her lip to keep from laughing as Anya triumphantly lifted a quarter into view.
They lingered uncomfortably around the house, everyone waiting for the inevitable attack from Faith. Joyce brought in the cheesy chips Xander liked and a pack of cookies for them to snack on before returning to the kitchen for adult conversation with Giles, leaving the younger adults in the living room. They were growing more relaxed as it got later, feeling reassured that Faith wouldn't bother attacking them her first night awake after eight months in a coma.
It was after ten when they finally turned the television on and the front window crashed in with no warning in the same minute. Xander flung himself over Anya on the couch, protecting her from the raining glass. Buffy threw herself backwards in an instinctual reaction, toppling the coffee table she had been sitting on, hit a second later by Riley, the Marine covering her protectively. Willow was unable to get out of the way and the projectile that had broken the window, which proved to be Faith herself, took the wheelchair down hard. The scuffle narrowly missed Tara, the witch pressed tightly against the base of the couch.
"Get off me!" Willow shouted angrily, shoving at the Slayer on top of her with both hands. There was a click and a sudden glow radiated from in between them. There was a pause, the two girls staring at each other before Willow backhanded Faith sharply, the blow causing the dark-haired Slayer only to shake her head, obviously confused.
"Son of a bitch!" they both cursed at the same time, Faith scrambling backwards off of the wheelchair and breathing hard.
"I got the cripple!" Willow complained while Faith stared down at herself, wrapping her arms protectively around her stomach, trying to pull the bottom edge of her shirt down.
The ruckus brought Giles running, Joyce close behind him. Riley let Buffy up slowly, the blonde Slayer glaring at her dark counterpart as she faced her.
"If you hurt Willow, I'll kill you," Buffy promised angrily.
"No," Faith protested uncertainly, pointing at Willow, who was now slowly trying to pull herself out of the wrecked wheelchair. "I'm me, I mean, I'm Willow," she said, poking herself in the chest before pointing at Willow. "That's Faith."
"Yeah right," Buffy challenged. "How stupid do you think I am, Faith?"
"No, really!" Faith said. "I swear it's me. Um…" She tried to think quickly of something Buffy or Xander would know that Faith would have no way of knowing before the answer came to her suddenly. "Tara! Faith doesn't know anything about me and Tara. You can tell them it's me," she said quickly. "Um, the first time we kissed was when the Gentlemen were here and we couldn't talk, and you got freaked out and left and I followed you…"
Tara was blushing brightly, one hand covering her mouth in horror as she looked between her girlfriend's body and the body her girlfriend was currently occupying. "Oh my God," she breathed from behind her hand. "Willow?" she asked hesitantly.
"It's me," Willow said through Faith's lips, relieved. "I swear it's me."
Buffy looked between them, frowning. "Tara? Was that true…?"
"It's her," Tara confirmed. "How?" Her eyes traveled between Willow's body on the floor, and Faith's body shifting anxiously from side to side.
"I was going to ask you that question," Buffy said, crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyes found Willow's body pinned in the overturned wheelchair, the cast stuck under the railing. She leaned over, lifting the chair and giving Faith room to wriggle Willow's body out from under. She didn't get far before Riley was there, pinning her arms behind her back.
"Gently," Buffy chided. "It's still Willow's body, no matter who's in there right now." She put the chair upright before bending over, finding something metal held tightly in Willow's hand, and she pulled it loose, hearing Faith cursing in frustration in Willow's voice. "Will, what's this?" she asked, holding it out to her.
"Whatever it is, it's broken," she said, sighing in disappointment. "Giles?" she asked, carrying the device over to him.
He looked at her distractedly, still glancing between her and Willow's body on the floor. "Willow?" he asked.
She smiled at him, nodding uncomfortably, and tugging at her clothes again with her free hand. "Yeah, it's me. Until we figure out how to get me out of here."
He took her hint, his attention dropping to the object in her hand, lifting it gingerly. "It looks to be a Draconian Katra spell, and a quite ingenious little activation…" He trailed off as Buffy shot him a look, clearing his throat. "This device is broken, but Tara should be able to conjure a spell to switch you back. I can get the book and the supplies you'll need from my house," he said, resting one hand on Willow's shoulder in support.
Tara looked up at her name, her eyes dropping back to Willow's body, Faith still struggling weakly against Riley's grip. "Don't hurt her," Tara said softly before she realized that she'd spoken, and she crouched next to Riley, brushing hair back from Willow's face. She didn't recoil from the glare Faith sent her through Willow's eyes. "Is she hurt?" Tara asked in concern, ignoring the hostility.
She looked up as Buffy's hand landed on her shoulder. "We need to get them switched back and we'll get her to the hospital. Faith won't tell us if Willow's body is hurt or not," she said, glaring at the other Slayer trapped inside her best friend's body. Tara nodded reluctantly, glancing across the room to where Willow was watching her through Faith's eyes.
"Can you help with the spell stuff?" Buffy asked, glancing between the pair.
Tara nodded and Giles cleared his throat again. "I'll just go get that book," he said, handing the broken spell device back to Willow and moving back to the front door.
Buffy looked at her trashed living room, sighing heavily. "Are you guys alright?" she asked as Xander helped Anya up. "I guess you can go home now," she said, smiling weakly. "We found Faith."
Anya sent a glare at the Slayer as she brushed broken glass off of her shoulders. "What are you going to do with her?" Xander asked, glancing between Willow and Faith.
Buffy sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know."
"As soon as I'm back in my body, I'm going to kick your ass," Faith growled from underneath Riley's firm grip, thrashing and groaning suddenly.
"Faith, what did you do to her?" Buffy demanded, pushing Riley back.
"She keeps fighting me," he said, holding both wrists in one hand and holding her broken leg down with the other.
"Get her up, we'll tie her in the chair," Buffy suggested. "Do you have any cuffs on you?" He shook his head and Buffy sighed. "Mom, do we have anything we can use to tie up Faith?"
Joyce frowned. "I think we can find something," she said hesitantly, watching Riley hold Willow's hands behind her back while Buffy lifted her friend's body carefully into the wheelchair. "Faith is inside Willow's body?" she checked, glancing at Faith. "So, Willow is…?"
"Here," Willow answered, raising Faith's hand and waving. "Hi," she offered timidly.
"This is weird," Joyce commented, one hand on her forehead as she moved back into the kitchen.
"You're telling me," Willow muttered, glaring down at Faith's body.
Buffy frowned around the room, meeting her mother's eyes as Joyce returned with a length of thin rope and a broom and dustpan. She handed all of the items to her daughter and Buffy sighed. "Do we have anything to board up the window with?" the Slayer asked, tossing the rope to her boyfriend.
"I'll help you look," Xander offered quickly, following Joyce into the basement.
Buffy started sweeping up the broken glass and wood that had shattered when Faith had crashed through the window. Riley tied Faith to the wheelchair, being careful under Tara's concerned watch.
Willow was shuffling Faith's feet, looking uncomfortable, and she wandered into the hallway, sitting down weakly on the floor at the end of the hall, staring down at her legs. Buffy and Tara exchanged looks as Willow disappeared from view, the Slayer tilting her head toward the hall as she turned the broom in her grip.
Tara followed her girlfriend, lowering herself to her knees in between Willow's legs. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, sitting back on her heels without touching Faith's body.
Willow was staring down at her feet and she blinked. "I haven't walked in four months," she breathed.
"Oh, honey," Tara sighed, resting one hand on her knee as she realized what Willow was struggling with. "I'm so sorry…"
Willow shook her head, sighing as Faith's long brown hair fell in front of her eyes. "It's okay, Tara. I just…I miss it, and it's going to make it harder to go back…" She pushed her hair out of her face with one hand. "Especially if I'm hurt again."
"Willow, sweetheart…" Tara started, pausing when Joyce and Xander returned from the basement with a large piece of plywood. Willow caught Tara's eye as the pair came through the hall, the blonde standing up and moving out of their way.
"Tara…" Anything else she was going to say put on hold when the front door opened as Giles let himself in. Tara stayed standing up, glancing down as Willow took her hand, Faith's hand feeling different in hers from Willow's, the Slayer's skin rougher, her grip tighter than the gentle witch's, but the energy that passed between them was the same as it had always been.
"Let's get this done," Willow said, sounding nervous.
Giles put the book and the ingredients down on the righted coffee table and Willow and Tara joined him, reading quietly.
"Okay," Tara said as she finished. "That doesn't seem too hard."
Willow took the ingredients into the kitchen without speaking, and Tara sighed as she looked back at the book. Buffy carried her full dustpan into the kitchen, dumping it in the trashcan and drawing Willow's eyes.
"You alright, Will?" she asked, noticing that her friend was alternating lifting her feet. "Did Faith get hurt jumping through the window?" Willow just shook her head, grinding something in a mortar. "Oh," Buffy sighed as she realized what was bothering Willow, leaning against the counter beside her. "You'll be alright, Willow. We'll get you to the hospital…"
"I know, Buffy," Willow groaned. "This just feels like a tease."
"Well, you are inside Faith's body, remember?" Buffy joked, relieved when Willow laughed.
"Yeah, yeah. I guess I should have known," Willow agreed, smiling weakly.
Buffy leaned against the countertop next to Willow, crossing her arms over her chest. "You told me it was a spell," she said vaguely.
The witch frowned, glancing over at her in confusion. "What?" She figured it out before Buffy could speak again and she sighed. "Kissing Tara, you mean. Buffy…"
"Hey, I'm not trying to start anything, I'm just glad you told me. I'm glad I didn't have to find out because of Faith," Buffy said quickly. She took a deep breath, meeting Willow's eyes. "I know we talked about it the next day, I guess I just didn't put it together."
Willow swallowed thickly. "I was confused and scared, Buffy. I didn't mean to hide anything from you…"
"Will, I know that. I do," Buffy assured her quickly. "I'm so glad you told me what was up." She started to hug her, hesitating as she remembered that Willow was currently occupying Faith's body, and she settled for nudging her with an elbow.
Willow shot her a look, brow furrowed. "What was that about?" she asked, sounding amused.
"I hit Faith, I don't hug her," Buffy said, shrugging. "Felt wrong, even if you're in there." She patted Willow awkwardly on the shoulder. "We'll get this straightened out. Promise."
Willow smiled sideways at her best friend, shaking her head. "Thanks, Buff." The Slayer nodded, clapping her on the shoulder again as she went back into the living room to finish cleaning.
Willow finished mixing the thick potion for the Katra spell, carrying the bowl back to the coffee table and taking a seat on the couch next to Tara. Tara had laid out a plastic placemat on the table so she wouldn't make a mess and she drew out the symbol carefully. Giles handed her a small wooden box and she coated the inside of the box with the remainder of the potion before putting it in the middle of the symbol.
Willow brushed her hands over her thighs anxiously, watching the preparations quietly. Tara squeezed her hand soothingly, sending her a soft smile before she closed her eyes, speaking the spell carefully.
The box started glowing, filling slowly with green light, and the others watched curiously. Tara stopped speaking when the box was full and everyone looked toward the wheelchair.
"Is it ready?" Buffy asked, her eyes jumping between the witches. Tara nodded, handing the box to Willow. "You ready, Willow?"
Willow glanced down at her feet, nodding finally as she stood up.
Buffy followed her, signaling Riley. "Okay, let one of her hands out. And once they switch back, we need to get Faith down," she warned him. She got a nod from him and she glanced over her shoulder to where Tara and Giles were watching. "Is it going to screw anything up if we hold their hands together?" she asked.
"I'm not going to fight this," Faith spoke up, glaring at Willow in her body. "Like I want to be stuck inside the lame witch."
"Then why'd you tackle me through the window?" Willow objected.
"I was trying to take you down. It was the easiest way to distract the rest of these idiots," Faith corrected her. "You're the one who triggered the spell too early."
Willow scoffed, her hands on her hips. "Yeah, because I want to be stuck inside a gigantic slut!"
"Maybe if you were any good you wouldn't have lost dog-boy," Faith shot back, straining against the ropes. She moved her eyes to Tara, smirking as she eyed the blonde from head to toe. "Have to say though, you traded up. Oz was nice enough, but she's really cute. And you can't beat that rack. Well, I mean, I can, but, you know…" She glanced down at Willow's body in the wheelchair before speaking to Tara. "You know, sweetness, if you ever feel like being with a real woman, give me a call. I'll steer you around the curves."
Buffy quickly got between them, both hands holding Willow back from getting in Faith's face as the displaced witch lunged forward. "Hey, you two can fight though six inches of glass after Faith's in prison," she said.
Faith snorted in protest, rolling her eyes. "You're crazy if you think that's happening."
"Just shut up," Buffy barked at her, shooting her a glare. "Okay, Will, give me your left arm," she prompted, locking Willow's arm firmly behind her back. "Whenever you're ready, Riley," she said, nodding to her boyfriend.
They could hear his knife cutting through the ropes, and Faith lifted one arm slowly. Their palms touched, the light blossoming between their hands and they both gasped. Faith wasn't so out of it that she let Buffy get a grip on her right arm, dodging the other Slayer's grab and landing a hard stomp on the top of Buffy's foot.
Buffy groaned, but didn't let go, curling her arm over the top of Faith's shoulder as she shifted her injured foot. Faith's free hand immediately grabbed Buffy's wrist at her chest and she threw herself forward sharply at the waist.
Buffy was off balance and the unexpected move sent her flying over Faith's shoulder and crashing onto Willow in her chair. Faith was running before they could stop her, diving out the empty hole where the front window had been.
"Willow!" Buffy said, rolling awkwardly off of her friend, holding her side where she'd hit the frame of the chair. "I'm sorry, Will. I should have…"
"Hospital," Willow interrupted her, groaning painfully, both hands holding her injured leg.
Buffy nodded, finding her mother over her shoulder. "Mom, car?" she asked, turning back to her friend when Joyce ran to find her purse.
They got Willow into the Jeep, Joyce driving while Buffy and Tara rode with her. Giles assured them that he would follow in his car with the others. Willow was admitted straight in, the doctor taking her away immediately for x-rays.
Joyce watched the pacing girls as they waited in the exam room, Tara and Buffy tracing opposite paths on the floor. She had heard what Willow had said about kissing the blonde girl, combined with the awful things Faith had been saying, and she tried to wrap her head around that new knowledge. The others had accepted the news that they had kissed without surprise, only needing verification that it had happened the way Willow had said. She smiled unconsciously as she thought of her daughter's best friend, who was as close as a sister to Buffy. Willow wouldn't have made such a change lightly, so she obviously cared very deeply for Tara. That was all she needed to know to accept the new circumstances.
Tara blinked in surprise as her pacing was halted by Buffy's mother stepping into her path and pulling her into a gentle hug. "Willow's a strong girl. She's going to be fine," Joyce said reassuringly, holding the hug until Tara relaxed against her, nodding against her shoulder.
Buffy watched in silence, speaking up when her mother pulled back from Tara, knowing that her mom had figured out the truth. "Mom, she wanted to tell you, she just didn't think tonight was the best time."
"I understand," Joyce said, waving away her daughter's explanations. "Tara, you seem to really care about Willow. That's all that matters to me," she said firmly.
Tara nodded without speaking, swallowing nervously. She was spared having to speak as Willow's chair was pushed back into the exam room by the doctor.
"How is she?" Buffy asked rapidly.
The doctor sighed, consulting his chart. "It doesn't appear that her accident has injured the bones, but she did strain a muscle in her hip. I'm suggesting another month in the cast, just to make sure she's as strong as possible before we begin physical therapy."
Willow didn't say anything, obviously having already heard the news. Tara moved up beside her chair, crouching down beside it and taking her hand comfortingly.
"We have this new prescription for pain medicine for the pulled muscle," the doctor said, handing the slip of paper over to Joyce. "Hopefully we won't see you again before you get your cast off, Miss Rosenberg."
Willow nodded listlessly, letting Buffy push her chair out of the room, her hands sitting in her lap. They met the others in the waiting room, the Slayer sharing the bad news with the others.
"And Faith is still out there, so we're still in hiding," Willow added at the end of the update.
Buffy nodded reluctantly. "We'll get the window boarded up, and get you guys situated at the house, and I'll go after Faith," she said, dropping to Willow's eye level. "I'm so sorry, Willow. I'm so sorry I let you get hurt again."
Willow sighed, shaking her head even as she grimaced in pain. "It's not your fault, Buffy. Just smack her around some for me once you find her, okay?"
"Done," Buffy promised immediately. "Just let me go get these pills, and we'll go home," she said, taking the prescription from her mom and dashing off before the others could say anything.
They rode home in silence and Xander finished patching up the window. Willow was yawning blatantly when he finished and Buffy suggested that they leave the living room so that Willow could get some sleep. The redhead tried to pull herself from her chair to the couch, but her arms were trembling too much and she felt tears of frustration slide down her face.
Tara helped her as gingerly as she could, brushing the tears away from her cheeks. "Do you want me to go?" she asked, willing to do whatever Willow wanted her to do. She was glad when Willow shook her head, holding Tara's free hand in her lap.
"Stay, please," Willow requested shakily. Tara brushed fresh tears away with her thumb, nodding silently. Hesitating for only a second, she leaned forward to kiss Willow gently, pulling back to wipe more tears away.
"Willow…" Tara started to speak, only to stop when Willow shook her head, her eyes squeezed closed.
"Please, Tara, don't. I can handle sympathy, but not from you, please," she requested. "If you finally see me as the cripple, why would you stay with me…"
"Stop it," Tara whispered, her quiet tone doing nothing to hide how serious she was. "Shh. Willow, I'm with you because I love you. That wouldn't change even if you never got out of this chair."
Willow's eyes were wide and it took Tara a second to realize what she'd said. "Whoa," Willow breathed. "Really?" she asked. Tara nodded wordlessly, her eyes squeezing closed as her head dropped forward. "Hey," Willow said softly, pushing her face back up with one trembling finger, though she couldn't have said just then whether her hand was shaking from pain or from something else. "Tara, I…"
"Don't," Tara interrupted. "Don't say it…just because I did."
She wanted the hear the words more than anything, but if Willow said it she wasn't sure she could bring herself to leave before her demon manifested. She'd been thinking about what had happened with the demon locator spell, how she hadn't appeared, sure that she had only escaped discovery because she was still maintaining her human mask. Once her birthday arrived and that mask was ripped away, she was certain that everything would become painfully obvious. The much simpler idea that her father had lied had never even crossed her mind. She was sure that Willow cared for her, possibly loved her, but hearing confirmation would make leaving impossible.
Willow blinked, but nodded. "Okay," she agreed softly. "Just because I'm not saying it doesn't mean I don't though," she said quietly but seriously.
She'd never put her feelings into words, part of her feeling that saying it out loud would be the death bell for her love for Oz and she wasn't ready yet to do that, even though she'd already given everything else she had to Tara, and knew that she loved her. She just wasn't ready to say the words yet.
"Will you lay here with me, or do you want to sleep somewhere else? Or I could sleep somewhere else. I think there's an air mattress in the basement," Willow offered, smiling as Tara cut into her babbling with a kiss. Willow let her still trembling fingers slip into Tara's hair, holding her face close.
"I love you," Tara said as they broke the kiss gradually, the words slipping out before she realized it and she blushed, covering her face with both hands.
Willow pulled her hands down gently, kissing her again. "Those have got to be the best words ever," she declared. "Are you sure I can't…" Tara shook her head, smiling softly when Willow pouted. "Fine," she said petulantly. "But if you keep saying it, I'm not going to be able to control myself and Buffy's mom probably wouldn't appreciate that happening on her couch."
Tara blushed brighter, grateful that they were alone, and she pressed one hand over Willow's mouth, shaking her head at her girlfriend. "Willow," she said chidingly, her warning falling flat when she smiled as Willow pressed a kiss to her palm. "Vixen," she murmured fondly.
"Lay down with me?" Willow requested, her attempt at winking ruined by the sudden yawn.
"Of course," Tara agreed, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "Just let me go tell Buffy that we're going to bed," she said, moving the wheelchair away from the edge of the couch before she moved away.
Buffy met her in the dining room, the Slayer already holding out a blanket, Willow's newest pills, and a bottle of water. "Good night, Tara," she said. "I'm going out to look for Faith, but Riley's taking the first watch, and he'll be quiet. Faith won't get to her again, I swear," she promised, fresh guilt stabbing her.
"It wasn't your fault," Tara said, frowning at the Slayer. "It was an accident."
"Willow…"
"Willow doesn't blame you," Tara said firmly. "She's disappointed about having to stay in the cast longer, but it could have been much worse, and it would have been if you hadn't been here to protect her." She shot the Slayer a look as Buffy started to protest. "Willow would say the same thing and you know it," she stated.
Buffy relented with a sigh, smiling at Tara. "You've really gotten better about speaking up," she teased, nodding her head toward the living room. "Goodnight, Tara," she said.
Tara took the blanket back to the couch, toeing off her shoes before leaning over, one pill in her hand. "Take this," she prompted, watching Willow swallow it, washing it down with a sip of water. Willow yawned and held her arms out, making it clear what she wanted. Tara smiled, joining Willow on the couch, the redhead's arms curling around her waist without speaking and Tara spread the blanket over them before she let her hands find Willow's.
Willow spoke softly after a minute, obviously hesitant. "Tara, about what Faith said…"
"No," Tara said simply, interrupting her. "I love every single thing about you, and I wouldn't change anything."
Willow blushed, glancing down at herself. "I know I don't have…"
"Sweetie, stop," Tara interrupted her again before she could continue. "You're perfect, and I love you." Willow was still staring down at herself and she let out a deep breath, trying to gather her courage. Tara curled closer to her, stopping her from speaking with a gentle kiss. "You're the one I want, Willow," she whispered. "No one else."
Willow sighed, squeezing Tara's hands. "You could have anyone though, Tara. You could have someone…better. Somebody that knows what they're doing…"
Tara frowned, figuring out her girlfriend's meaning quickly. "Hey," she said, sliding one of her hands out of Willow's to guide her chin up to meet her eyes. "Don't do that, please," she requested. "You make me feel so good, Willow. Faith doesn't know anything about us. When we're together, baby, there's nothing better. I don't want just anyone, I want you."
"Oh, I didn't mean…of course you wouldn't…with just anybody, I just meant…"
Tara cut her off with a kiss, hating that Willow had let the things Faith had said get to her, rock her confidence. She deepened the kiss immediately as Willow opened for her, the kiss passionate. She let her hands trail over Willow's sides as the redhead slid onto her back from her side, pulling Tara with her. This suited Tara fine and she let her roaming hands slow as Willow groaned sharply.
"Shh," Tara hushed her gently, both breathing hard. She took another kiss, both hands sliding around Willow's back to hold her close as she pressed kisses over Willow's pounding heart. "Give me your hand," she requested softly, bringing one of her own out. Willow obeyed, still breathing hard. Tara guided their hands to her own chest, pressing Willow's hand under the collar of her shirt so the redhead could feel her heart's rapid beat. "You do this to me," she whispered. "Just you." She met Willow's eyes. "Okay?" she asked softly.
"Tara," Willow whispered, dying to return her lover's declaration of love, but was suddenly hit by a wave of medically induced exhaustion. "You…"
Tara could see her crashing, and she brushed hair back from her face. "It's okay, baby. Just sleep." The redhead was asleep before Tara leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead.
The night passed without any further interruptions and the next morning Tara slipped carefully out of Willow's arms, making sure to put the wheelchair where Willow could get into it. Buffy was already up and she lifted a coffee cup in question.
"Thanks," Tara said as the Slayer poured her a cup of coffee. "Have you slept?" she asked, frowning at her friend.
Buffy shrugged. "Not so much, but I think I found a lead on Faith. One of the workers at the train station was admitted to the hospital early this morning. He claims a girl with long brown hair beat him half to death and jumped a cargo train south."
"So she's gone?"
"If it wasn't just a trick to draw us out," Buffy said. "She could just be trying to make us think we're safe." She grinned tiredly. "I guess Mom's going to get her party sooner than she expected. How did you sleep on the couch?" she asked, handing the mug over to Tara.
"Fine," Tara said with a smile. "Your couch is a lot more comfortable than a lot of couches I've slept on," she commented, taking a sip of her drink.
They could both hear Willow move in the living room and Buffy laughed, already working on pouring another cup of coffee and adding two sugars and a little bit of creamer. "It's uncanny how she does that," she said. "The coffee maker is on for two minutes and she knows it."
Sure enough, Willow wheeled herself into the kitchen a moment later, grateful to whoever had moved the chairs from the dining room table to make driving her wheelchair easier. Buffy handed her the mug before she could ask and Willow took a grateful sip, smiling up at her best friend. "You're the best, Buff," she sighed happily. Buffy grinned, taking a sip of her own coffee.
They were joined slowly by the others, Joyce immediately starting to work on an expansive breakfast for them all while the Scoobies all retreated to the living room to discuss Faith's potential plans for killing them all horribly.
Willow excused herself after a little bit, wheeling herself into the kitchen to where Joyce was working, the other woman giving her a smile over her shoulder while she worked at the stove. "Willow, how are you feeling today?"
Willow shrugged, one hand covering her hip unconsciously. "Oh, I'm fine," she said. "I wanted to talk to you about yesterday, about what you heard me say, about Tara…" She swallowed, feeling nervous.
Joyce put down the spoon she'd been using and gently pushed Willow's short hair back. "I heard, and I only have one question."
Willow blinked in surprise, but nodded. "What is it?"
"Does she make you happy?" Joyce asked softly.
Willow nodded again. "Oh yes," she breathed, her heart beating faster as she thought about Tara's confession the night before. "Yes," she said again, smiling.
Joyce gave her a kiss on the cheek, returning her smile. "Then I'm glad you found each other, because she obviously feels the same way about you."
Willow blushed, but couldn't stop herself from feeling pleased. "Thank you," she said. "Can I help with anything in here?" she asked, changing the subject to keep herself from getting choked up.
"Would you mind setting the table?" Joyce asked.
"I think I can handle that," Willow said, grinning. Joyce handed her a stack of plates and Willow waited while she retrieved the utensils. The redhead put everything in her lap and wheeled herself into the dining room, setting everything out as best she could, struggling to get her chair around the far side of the table, but succeeding finally.
When she was finished she noticed Tara's eyes on her from across the room. The blonde blushed at getting caught watching her, but she didn't look away. Willow smiled back at her, glancing over to the kitchen when Joyce called the others in for breakfast.
Willow stayed where she was, parking her chair at the corner of the table. Tara moved to help the others in the kitchen, but Buffy waved her back to the table at the same time that Willow snagged her hand. Tara took the chair beside her, her hand resting lightly on Willow's healing leg and she leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek. The others were milling around between the kitchen and the dining room, helping Joyce carry the food into the room.
"You know, something occurs to me," Willow commented innocently in a low voice.
Tara arched an eyebrow, smiling at whatever she knew her girlfriend was up to. "Oh yeah, what's that?" she whispered back.
"I haven't gotten any proper smooches today," she answered, tone horrified, but still keeping her voice low.
Tara laughed, shaking her head. "That's a shame. Do you know anybody that could help you with that?" she asked considerately.
Willow nodded. "I'm hoping this really gorgeous blonde I'm sitting beside could help me out."
Tara's eyes shifted over Willow's shoulder and the redhead turned to see Buffy taking a seat at end of the table next to her. Willow swatted softly at Tara's arm, shaking her head as Tara laughed. "Not her," she said. "There's only I want to get smooches from," she said firmly.
Tara pointed to herself teasingly even as she leaned in and gave Willow a kiss. Willow was ready to protest the shortness of the kiss but thought better of it as the rest of the table filled up. "That's okay for now," she declared quietly.
They ate, Joyce cheerfully questioning Riley, though mostly just to annoy Buffy, and the others helped clean up the dishes while the Slayer took another sweep through town searching for Faith. She couldn't find any sign that the other Slayer was still in town and she agreed reluctantly that everyone should return to their own homes.
She wanted to stay close to her mother in case she was wrong, but she sent Riley to walk back to campus with Willow and Tara, the witches going back to Tara's room. Riley left after they promised to keep the door locked until they heard from Buffy, a promise Willow made easily, not eager to be hurt worse.
Willow took a dose of her medicine as she felt her hip start hurting, and Tara helped her into the bed, putting the chair out of the way as she took a seat on the edge of the bed, brushing her fingers through Willow's soft red hair. "Need anything?" she checked.
Willow cocked her head as she pretended to think about it. "I think I was promised more kisses," she said.
"Were you?" Tara teased.
Willow pouted, poking her bottom lip out exaggeratedly. "Not in so many words, but…"
Her ploy worked, Tara sucking her bottom lip into her own mouth as her hands held her face close. Tara could feel Willow pulling them down slowly, knew she should stop her, but Willow's touch felt too good at give up and she contented her conscience with the fact that Willow wouldn't do anything to risk her recovery, and if she felt okay then Tara shouldn't feel bad about just letting her do what she wanted.
Buffy hadn't found any trace of Faith by dark, but she was still staying at her mother's house just to be safe. It continued like that for another three days before she was finally convinced that Faith wasn't in town. Their lives quickly fell back into their normal patterns of class, Scooby meetings and patrols, and the ever fruitless search for Adam.
Next Time: Another old friend returns to Sunnydale…
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