-X-

Tara kicked out in her sleep, throwing the covers to the floor, thrashing and jerking. Mumbles grew into shouts, then screams. Willow sat up quickly and shook Tara gently. "Tara. Tara, -Baby!" she shouted.

Tara shot up, screaming, her hair plastered to her face with cold sweat. She searched the room frantically, searching for someone who wasn't there. "H-he was here! I saw – Is –s –I saw him!" she screamed.

Willow grabbed Tara's shoulders, and sat down in front of her, moving her hands to hold Tara's shoulders. "Shhh, baby. I'm here. It's just us here, baby, I promise." She whispered.

Tara shook her head. "N-no. I saw him!" she insisted.

"It was a dream. Just a dream." Willow breathed. She held open her palm, letting a small, cool white flame flicker there momentarily, before it rose and illuminated their bedroom. She ran her hands down Tara's arms, wrapping her in a tight hug. "It's just us. It was just a dream. Okay?" she whispered. She could feel Tara's heart pounding against her chest, feel her shaking with fright.

Tara searched every corner of the room again and again, until she finally nodded. She returned Willow's hug, taking deep breaths as Willow pulled her back down to lay with her. She nuzzled her head against Willow's chest, wrapping her arms around the red-headed woman, listening to the steady beat of her heart. As she calmed down, she shook her head. "I'm so sorry darling."

Willow, arms wrapped protectively around the blonde, kissed the top of her head. "It's alright." She murmured, the exhaustion slipping into her voice. "Do you want to talk about it?" she murmured.

Tara shook her head. "You're tired."

"No I'm not." Willow murmured in response. "You'll feel better if you tell me about it. We can work through it together."

Tara sighed softly. "I – we were back in the hospital. It kept switching. First it was m-me. I was the one in the hospital bed. And then it was you, and then me again. And all the machines just kept getting louder and louder, until they were all I could hear. And then you d-died-" Tara choked.

Willow gave Tara a tight squeeze. "I'm right here baby. I'm not going anywhere."

"A-and then you were g-gone. And it was just me. H-here. In our room. And that's when he showed up." Tara grasped Willow's shirt tightly in her fist. "He p-pointed the gun at me. He said – something. I can't remember. Or I couldn't hear it. And he fi-fired and-" Tara sobbed softly, shaking her head. "Then I woke up."

Willow kissed the top of her head again, squeezing Tara firmly against her chest. "Hey," she murmured, pulling both of them up slightly, so she could look Tara in the eye. "We're going to find him." She nodded. "I promise. Even if I have to track him down myself. He will never hurt you again."

Tara smiled softly, her eyes still wet with tears. "I know. B-but it's not me I'm scared for." She mumbled. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you." She breathed.

Willow's heart broke, she pulled Tara up to her, pressing a firm kiss to her lips. "That's never going to happen." Willow murmured as she pulled away. She watched as Tara nodded, slowly resting her head back on Willow's chest and closing her eyes. Willow laid back, listening to Tara's breathing deepen as she fell back asleep. Willow rested her chin on Tara's head, pulling a spare cover over the both of them, and brushing back the hair that covered Tara's face.

-X-

Willow poured coffee into three mugs, rubbing her eyes. Slowly, she handed one over to Buffy, who was sitting on the counter.

"Tired?" Buffy asked.

Willow glanced over at the bedroom, holding up one finger. She took one mug into the bedroom and put it on the side table, brushing strands of hair out of Tara's face, gently kissing her forehead as she slept. She shut the door behind her as she returned to the kitchen. "Sugar?" she asked.

Buffy glanced over her shoulder to the now-closed bedroom door. "Long night?" she questioned.

Willow sighed softly, sipping her coffee and nodding. "Nightmares." She responded.

"Still?"

Willow nodded again. "I don't think that they're getting any better. I thought once we moved out into our own place, the nightmares might – you know-"

"Vanish?" Buffy offered.

Willow shrugged. "Well, not immediately, or completely," she mumbled, sipping her coffee again. "But, I thought they might not be as bad here."

"Are they getting worse?"

"They seem to be." Willow said quietly.

Buffy sighed. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked, glancing back over at the closed door.

Willow shook her head. "Not that I can think of." She muttered. "Just – find him."

Buffy nodded.

-X-

Willow crept back into their room quietly, laying down next to Tara and wrapping her arms around her once more.

Tara stirred slightly. "Hmmm, is it morning?" she asked, not opening her eyes.

Willow smiled softly. "Barely." She whispered.

Tara huffed softly, pulling herself closer to Willow. "How long till we need to get up?"

Willow kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about that. We'll just have a lazy day." She muttered, resting her forehead against Tara's.

Tara nodded, grasping Willow's shirt in her fist again before nodding off to sleep once more.

Willow gazed softly at the other woman. Tara usually woke once a night, and most times, she was screaming. Last night had been a rare occasion where Willow only had to calm her once. But every time that Willow had to coax her back to sleep, she grew more and more concerned about Tara, and how she was dealing.

-X-

Willow woke to someone gently stroking her cheek. "Mmm, Tara?" she muttered.

"It's late."

Willow sighed softly. "You didn't have the best night." She mumbled, peering through her eyelashes. "I wanted to let you get as much rest as you could." Willow said through a yawn.

Tara sighed softly. "I'm sorry." She breathed.

Willow shook her head. "Stop saying that."

Tara let her hand fall to the mattress, sighing softly. "You aren't sleeping well. It's – It's not good for you." She responded.

Willow sat up slightly, opening her eyes. "Listen to me," she said firmly, taking Tara's hands in her own. "None of this is your fault. Okay? Nothing. We are going to find him, and we're going to stop him."

Tara looked down at their hands. "I know. But until then-" she muttered. "I t-think that I shouldn't be here." She pulled her hands out of Willow's not looking at the other woman.

"Tara, I don't – " Willow stammered. "What are you saying?"

"This isn't good for you!" Tara insisted. "You aren't sleeping. And you're running on caffeine and sugar and it's not safe!" she said.

Willow shook her head. "What do you mean, not safe?"

Tara's eyes filled with tears. "I mean, it's not safe with me around." She saw Willow open her mouth to argue, cutting in before she could protest. "These nightmares are getting w-worse. And it's just a matter of time before I wake up and he'll be here."

Willow shook her head, taking Tara's hands in hers again.

"Not h-here, here," Tara murmured. "But in my h-head, here. Making me think that he's actually in the room, or that it's him lying next to me and not you." She choked, tears falling from her eyes. "I know I'm not as powerful as you, but I can still do stuff, and - and -and I don't want to hurt you. I can't lose you." She pleaded. "Please, let me go."

-X-