Here's part 2! It's a lot longer than I expected, but I hope it still fits well.


Tara knocked three times, and within moments the door opened. Who else but Donny would open it up? "Sis!" He used the name with exaggeration, having never remembered calling her that once in his life. An awkward moment stood before them, all words lost to the blonde.

Donny then wrapped his arms around her, hugging her a bit too tightly, which caused her to squeak. He laughed at her reaction before pulling her away without hesitation.

"You even brought a friend along! Name's Donny, nice to meet ya!" He clapped Willow on the shoulder hard enough for her frame to shake slightly. A forced smile popped up, Willow nodding once, pretending as if nothing was wrong.

"I'm Willow. A…" She was suddenly unsure how to describe herself to Tara's brother. Were they fine with same-sex relationships? Had Tara even told them about her relationship?

"F-friend. Very c-close friend. Best o-of friends." Without warning that damned stuttering had returned to her.

The blonde cursed herself in her head for that. Here she thought she'd gotten so much stronger over the months, even thought it took a month for the stuttering to completely subside around the Scoobies. Yet here it sprang up without her control or consent.

"Well why don't ya'll come in? Daddy's gonna be so happy to see you." Donny flashed his sister a smile, though that smile was laced with something Tara didn't completely trust.

Crossing the threshold into the home, a slight chill was in the air, and the Wiccan couldn't put identify the reason.

Standing in the living room was Mr. Maclay, his arms draped behind his back in a leisurely way, though no smile was apparent on his face.

Willow hung behind Tara, not because she was afraid, but because there was a certain air around everyone that made her feel unwelcome. Willow could remember the last time she saw Mr. Maclay was at the Magic Box, and it was a mixture of feelings on that occasion. Happiness for Tara to know that she really wasn't a demon, fear that Tara might succumb to being dragged back with her family, and anger; mostly for Donny.

There was something odd about him…and the scariest thing about it is that the redhead couldn't figure out what it was. It was nothing supernatural—as far as she could tell. No, it was scarier than that.

It was hate. Pure, human hate. Donny just hated Tara, and Willow couldn't understand why.

"I…I wanted…t-to say H-hap…py…Father's D-day, daddy." Tara fished out a card that she had bought the day before for her father. She held it out and he looked to it, raising an eyebrow. At first, it looked like he would smack it out of her hands, but he took it, being as 'courteous' as he could be around the newcomer.

He didn't open it, however. Instead, he threw it lamely onto the coffee table. "Who's your friend?" Mr. Maclay vaguely remembered the redhead from the last time he'd seen his daughter, and wondered why she was even here.

Willow piped up at that moment. "I just wanted to come along with Tara, to get to know her family better!"

Mr. Maclay didn't look amused. "Shouldn't you be with your own father?"

Willow nearly flinched at the question. It wasn't something she'd thought of—she just never really bothered to beforehand.

"Mm-hmm." Mr. Maclay murmured, as if the witch's reaction was what he was looking for.

Just then, young Beth Maclay peeked her head through the door from the kitchen, a faux smile approaching at her lips.

"Tara!" She said in a sing-song voice before walking hurriedly and hugging her tightly. "Oh…you're here too." A glare flashed towards the other girl before looking back to Tara. "Once we got your letter, your father thought it'd be a good idea for me to come by and say hi to my favorite cous."

Tara only nodded, smiling sheepishly as she did so.

Another awkward flurry of seconds passed before Donny spoke up.

"We were just about ready to have some lunch. Come 'n join us!" He didn't even look at Willow, and before either girl could respond, Mr. Maclay cleared his throat harshly.

"Actually, I don't think we have enough for them." His tone was cold, his gaze piercing on his daughter.

Tara felt the need to slink into a dark corner, but stood her ground.

She tried to understand why her father was acting this way. Of course it was nothing new, but maybe it was because she'd broken the 'curse' that the women had felt for generations.

Maybe it was because he knew she was independent, and he just wouldn't stand for that.

"Tara." Cousin Beth piped up, honestly curious to know the answer to the question that would arise.

"Why don't you tell us how you've been doing?" Donny and Beth knew that Mr. Maclay would want to know what his daughter had been up to, part of him curious to know what kind of havoc she might have wrought.

The question left her dumbfounded for a few moments, unsure of how to respond. Most of her time had been spent with Willow, but she quickly thought of other things.

"U-um…well…I've been…d-doing good in school." She nodded to Mr. Maclay, though his expression was unchanged.

"I-I've even made friends!" The blonde's eyes lit up, thinking of the members of the Scooby Gang, and suddenly had the urge to hold Willow's hand. Her hand twitched, but caught herself from doing so.

"Friends!" Donny said, mimicking Tara's voice.

The redhead had a sudden urge to punch Donny in the face, but let a glare suffice for now.

Another awkward silence.

"That's all?" Mr. Maclay asked. "No job, no boyfriend?"

Tara didn't answer for some time. Chewing on her bottom lip, she seriously started to consider what her family would think after telling them that the woman standing beside her was her girlfriend.

Being the heavily religious type, Tara knew that they might fly off the handle with it. But did she really want to keep hiding forever?

No, she didn't. She was tired of hiding, tired of stuttering, tired of ducking her head every time she spoke to her father.

Taking a deep breath, she took a hold of Willow's hand, entwining their fingers together.

"Daddy, this is my girlfriend." She planned on saying more, but it broke off on the immense swarm of emotions that ran through Mr. Maclay.

Donny nearly gaped, not able to say anything for a few minutes.

Beth's eyes nearly popped out from her sockets, her eyes darting back and forth between the blonde and redhead.

A rage was brewing within Mr. Maclay that literally caused Tara to step back. She knew that rage all too well.

"…It seems you've let that demon take over you. And now you have the gall to walk into my home with that?"

Again with the demon thing? The redhead nearly rolled her eyes, but caught herself at the last second. Willow was oblivious to the true conversation that was ensuing between daughter and father.

Before Tara left Sunnydale, she would have dipped her head in shame at the look her father gave her, but holding onto Willow's hand, she squeezed it slightly, and felt an instinctive squeeze back, which gave her a tremendous force of courage.

"There is no demon, and y-you know that. I came h-here to tell you that I still l-love you and Donny, even after w-what you did."

Her heart pounded with pain in her chest, terrified inside. She'd never stood up to Mr. Maclay before, and doing so nearly caused her to faint. She felt light-headed, afraid that at any moment she might pass out. She stood strong though, not a trace of fear in her face or eyes.

Donny and Beth looked at each other, unsure of really what to do. They knew that when Mr. Maclay got 'that look', the best option would really be to just book it out of there. He'd start to throw a fit, screaming and throwing things until he settled himself down.

Mr. Maclay's hands shook, having a good mind to wrap his calloused hands around his daughter's neck and wipe that determined look from her face.

Still not a word had been said after Tara spoke, and she started wondering if her father would calm down and accept her words.

In a fluid motion, however, she felt a searing pain across her cheek, the familiar pain of a backhand slap.

Willow's eyes widened, pulling Tara closer to her a second after that happened.

"What in the hell's your problem!?" The redhead cried out, anger rising in her voice. The magicks inside her quickly started to rise, prepared to torch Mr. Maclay.

Tara stepped back, closer to Willow, with more anger than surprise or fear. That was his reaction to her apology?! She didn't know why he would have accepted it.

Donny and Beth both stepped back, their expressions unchanged from before. After a few moments, a smile spread across Donny's face. "It's what you deserve. Spoutin' that kinda shit in our house."

Mr. Maclay glared at his son, indicating him to shut up.

"I don't ever want to see you here again. Do you understand me?" His words cut through Tara more than she would have liked.

Whatever his reason might have been, Tara didn't know or cared.

Her cheek pulsed in pain, a red mark already appearing.

She turned towards the door, with Willow right on her heel, keeping an arm around Tara in a possessive form.

Mr. Maclay never looked at Willow, but she could sense the hate and anger rolling off in waves.

Beth scurried to the door, opening it before Tara got to the door. She stopped just before she stepped out.

Her gaze traveled to the floor before she said something very softly. So much, she wasn't sure if her father would hear.

"I still love and forgive you."

The atmosphere changed again. One that was so dark and hateful Willow could choke on it, to one that was just…confusing.

The Maclay's didn't know how to respond to that. At all.

Tara stepped out, before turning to see their reactions.

Beth was on the verge of tears, while Donny just looked at her with a stupid expression.

Mr. Maclay's brow was furrowed, though gave no room for an inkling of anything other than anger.

Just before the door was closed, she could hear Beth whisper something that would stay with her forever.

"We still love you too."