Hey im back and guess what! I got my computer back so i can start writing again. I know this is not the story most of you were hoping to be updated but i wrote 6 chaps rough drafts for this during the time i was at my grandma's house. She wont be gettin internet for sometime so i just had to type. Im back and hopefully can start writing again. Please enjoy the following chapter. Oh and i went over it to check for spelling errors. I hopefully got a majority of the but oh well you never know.

Disclaimer: Me-- cave buffy will now speak for me. C.B.-- SHE NO OWN!! (author sulks in corner)

Chapter 5

~ sometime earlier: Tara~

Lost in a fog. That is what a certain blond Wicca felt as awareness started to come back. Why was it so hard to wake up? It was currently taking every ounce of will power just to fight the urge to go back to the welcoming, dreamless sleep. The more she fought, the more the fog started to disappear. Tara opened her eyes to see a dimly lit room. It took moment to realize that it was sunlight peaking through the balcony.

It took another moment for her to take in the elegant room and realize that it wasn't some wonderful dream. So she hadn't dreamed of the mysterious, yet enchanting, Buffy Summers. After all her imagination wasn't that good. That's one thing that she had to find out tonight. Just who was she. Tara slowly sat up and pulled back the covers. She moved towards the end of the large bed.

Her feet hit soft carpet. On the nightstand next to the bed was more pain pills, a bottle of water and a soft looking robe. She felt her ribs and was surprised at how they didn't hurt as much as expected. Which was unusual. Deciding to put how she was healing so well on her ever growing list of questions, Tara put on the robe and headed to the door. It was time to find her mysterious savior.

Walking to the door Tara opened it to see a lightly lit hallway. She listened for the sound of any life that might be around, but the house was eerily silent. Like it was waiting for someone or something to arrive. At the end of the hallway was a set of stairs. She made her way down the stairs. It was a bit weird walking down a set of stairs that didn't creak under the slightest pressure.

She entered another hallway. Tara finally realized that despite how dimly lit the house was not a bit of sunlight has gotten in. The floorboards were well polished and gleamed in the small amount of light. There was sunlight at the end of the hallway and it instantly drew her attention. A set of double doors faced her and she gripped the handle, hesitating. Who knew what was behind those doors, all she could see was some light from the bottom. She opened them.

Tara could only gazed on in amazement at the dining room splayed before here.

Wide open glass windows. The sky was magnificent hues of red's, purples, blues, pinks, and all kind of blended colors. A beach for the warmer days. The water looked like it stretched on forever. It was designed to let the viewer watch the sunset while eating. A crystal chandelier hung above the dinning room table. The table was large enough to accommodate 15 people comfortably in its shape rectangular. Personally all of the extravagance made Tara a bit uncomfortable. Buffy was obviously well off so why did she watch over Tara herself?

Feeling her stomach growl she went searching for the kitchen. There was a door to the left so she took it. Her lucky day. It was the kitchen.

Like the rest of the house she has seen so far it was well done. Modern and up-to-date. There was a island in the middle of the kitchen with various cooking utensils, mostly silver and black, all neatly placed. All of the counters a black granite. It looked like something out of a magazine. It also gave Tara an uncomfortable feeling. Like it was all for show. Ignoring it for now Tara made her way to the black refrigerator. She opened it and stared at its contents.

"Oh Goddess…" all thoughts of food flew out the window.

Instead of food on shelves like normal people there were bags of IV blood. She was about the slam the door when something on the label caught her eye. Synthetic Blood. So it wasn't real human blood but very close to it. That brought some feeling of relief but not much. Why would Buffy need Synthetic blood?

2 nights ago hit her in a flash. Cold yellow eyes. Ridges. Fangs.

She gripped the counter, her legs decided to almost give out on her. Eyes wide in disbelief. Vampire. There were references to them in her mothers text but to think she was being taken care of by one. But Buffy showed none of the signs of being a night stalker.

Tara walked back to the dining room on shaky legs not even bothering to try to eat food. She stood in front of the glass windows and watch the sunset soaking up as much sun as possible. Thinking over the last two days.

Buffy has been nothing but kind to her. Rescuing her from the almost rape, feeding her, giving her clothes, bandaging her sore ribs, letting her stay here. Buffy has shown her nothing but generosity. It was like she had the one things vampires lacked, a soul. Vampires, from what she read were cruel, killed, drained, raped, and sometimes even tortured their victims. Tara suspected that Buffy was the aura that she had tapped into before it shut off completely. Buffy was so lonely and sad. Tara felt the need to stay by her side no matter the consequences. She wanted to get rid of the hurt and the pain Buffy was feeling. She remembered how those cold yellow eyes softened when Buffy glanced at her.

A faint almost untraceable aura reached the edge of her deep thoughts.

Coming back to awareness Tara turned to face Buffy. They locked eyes and the shorter blond knew that Tara knew what she was. Tara smiled softly as Buffy started the words to a conversation she felt would be life changing "You know…" 'Momma give me strength.' TBC…

I bet your all wondering what happens next. What kind of conversation will this be? Well you'll all just have to wait till the next chapter. Oh and Merry Christmas!!! Its soo freakin good to be back!!!