A little while later Nessa entered the Great Hall to see the trio sitting around in silence.

"Buffy?"

Buffy looked up at the matriarch.

"Child, I need some help getting some things down in the kitchen and I can't find Zaz. Would you mind?"

Buffy stood immediately. "Sure Nessa. No problem, lead the way."

Nessa slipped her arm through Buffy's and led her away from the room. Once they were out of ear shot, Nessa stopped to look at Buffy. "You know I don't need your help in the kitchen."

"I know. But I am happy to get away from that room. Spending time with you seems like a better proposition, well, to most anything else right now. Is Tara awake yet?"

"No, but I imagine she will be soon enough. And that is the reason I wanted to talk to you. I was hoping you would talk to me about your intentions when she is."

"Intentions? I don't know. I know I want her to wake up and be happy."

"Happy?"

"Nessa, I love Tara, very much. She was a great friend to me at a very dark time in my life. She helped me by listening. Never once did she judge my actions, and was always supportive. So my intentions are to do the same. I'll be whatever she needs me to be. And if that means she chooses to be with Willow, well, then I won't interfere. And I will try like hell to be her friend and Willow's. I have no idea how that will work out, but if it is what she wants, then I'll do it."

"You'd let her go?"

"What choice would I have? It'd hurt like hell, but yes, I'd let her go knowing that she was where she wanted to be."

"And the time you spent with Lenara?"

"I'll hold onto it, but privately. Lenara changed my outlook on everything. She loved me for me, knowing my faults, my demeanor, and everything about me. She was pure and being with her made me feel…something I will never adequately be able to describe."

"Why is that?"

"Because the word love isn't enough. It doesn't define with enough authority what I feel for Lenara. She is what poets write poems about. And I'm sorry Nessa, I am no poet. I am a Slayer, complicated, with layers and a stubborn streak. And she looked past it all, and loved me. I can do no less for her."

"Is this what you will say?"

Buffy laughed and wiped a tear that fell. "No. I will tell her I love her. Probably nothing else."

"Why?"

"I'm a coward I guess. If I tell her all this and she ends up with Willow, I don't think I would recover. And I need to have her in my life, even if it means she isn't with me."

Nessa looked at Buffy with great compassion. "Buffy, she's awake."

Buffy sniffled a little. "She is?"

"Yes."

Buffy nodded her head. "We should tell Willow."

Nessa took Buffy's hand, and lowered her head and began to mumble underneath her breath. A white light began to emanate from her skin, and around her head a halo formed. And when the light disappeared, Lenara stood in front of her.

"Buffy…" she whispered.

Buffy took a step back, But Lenara did not let go of her hand.

"Surely my Slayer is not trying to run away."

"Lenara."

"I am sorry for the obvious deception but I had to get you away from Willow and Kennedy, and here lately you three go everywhere together."

Buffy cracked a small smile, but it quickly faded. "How do you feel?"

"Like myself."

"I see."

"I am Tara, and Lenara. But this is the form you fell in love with, and I have grown accustomed to it."

"I have too."

"Buffy…"

"Wait. Don't. Just let me look at you a few more moments."

"Buffy…"

"Please. Just a few more moments. And I promise I will leave you be."

"Leave me be?"

"I know I can't hope for what you and Willow have."

"Had, Buffy. I do love Willow. But Willow is Tara's past, my past. You, are, my now and my future. I love you. And if you will have me, I will spend every moment possible showing you."

Buffy couldn't hold back her tears. "I…I can't breathe."

Lenara smiled sweetly. "Catch your breath, because I am going to kiss you senseless, and I don't particularly relish you passing out from lack of oxygen."

Buffy nodded her head and stepped forward. Lenara leaned in and lowered her head and suddenly stopped just an inch shy of Buffy's lips, and began laughing.

"What?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"It's just like when I first met you."

"Huh?"

"Buffy, you stink! Have you showered recently?"

"What?"

Lenara was laughing uproariously. "Sweetheart, you reek!"

"Well, smartass, hard to take a shower when you have people following you everywhere you go. And no way was I getting naked in front of anyone!"

Lenara laughed harder. Buffy smirked. "Oh so this is funny is it?"

"It really is."

Buffy grabbed her girlfriend and proceeded to rub her face, hands, and body all over her.

"Guess who else stinks now? Keep laughing!"

The girls enjoyed the mirth for a few more moments before Lenara finished what she had started. She leaned in and kissed Buffy's lips. It was tender and gentle insisting on nothing. After a few seconds had passed, the girls broke apart.

"Lenara, I…wait. Tara, I love you."

"So sweet my Slayer. I love you."

"Can I ask you something else?"

"Of course Buffy."

"Will you be getting naked later?"

Lenara laughed. "As if I have a choice! One does get naked to take a bath, and I suddenly find myself in need of one. Sweetheart, seriously, you really do stink."

Buffy smiled and then her face turned somber.

"What? What is it Buffy?"

"Willow. She's here Lenara, and I can't help but feel guilty for being happy."

Lenara sighed. "I know. I have to talk to her, and soon."

"She's not going to take this well."

"I know. But in time I hope she'll come around. I would like to be her friend if she'll let me."

"Should I be jealous?"

"No, Willow was my first love. You are my last."

Buffy nodded, kissed her girlfriend's cheek, and led her back to the Great Hall. When they got there, Willow and Kennedy weren't in the room. Instead they found Nessa sitting in a chair.

"Gran?"

Nessa looked up and smiled at the pair. "Lenara, Buffy, please come and sit."

"Where's Willow and Kennedy?" Buffy asked.

"They left. While you were talking with Buffy, Willow paid me a visit. Or rather you."

Buffy looked confused. "I don't understand," she simply stated.

"Gran was me, while I was her."

"Oh."

Nessa continued. "While I laid there pretending to sleep Willow began talking to me. She said that she loved you, but that you weren't her Tara anymore. She said that you were both different people now, and that you both had unknowingly moved on. She said she hoped you loved Buffy and would be happy with her, just like she had found happiness with Kennedy. She said she owed you so much, and that if it wasn't for you she wouldn't have become the woman that she was now. She said she owed you happiness, and she prayed you found it. She said given time that she hoped you could be friends. She hoped that you would understand why she wouldn't stay here any longer, and that she didn't want to her. She kissed my head and left."

Buffy looked at Lenara. "You okay?"

Lenara was quiet for a moment but then smiled. "I am. We both got what we wanted."

"So did Kennedy. Bet she did cartwheels."

"I'm sure she did."

"Sure you are okay?"

Lenara kissed Buffy's cheek. "You stink you know."

Nessa nodded her head in amusement and got up to leave the room. "Get cleaned up you two. Dinner's in an hour." And she exited the room.

Buffy looked at Lenara. "Well, you are stuck with me now."

Lenara smirked. "I know."

"I like that you accept it so easily."

"Easily?"

"Just like everything else…"

"Buffy, did you just call me easy?"

Buffy swatted Lenara's backside and dashed quickly across the room. "Last one to the hot spring…"

A/N: I realize that Willow/Tara are OTP, but I hope you are accepting of this ending. This story was an exercise in how to pair Buffy/Tara convincingly. I hope I did that. If you got to the end of this story, please let me know how I did. I am really curious to see what you thought of it all.