Chapter Fourteen: Sadness and Pain

Walking back into Tara's hospital room, Willow caught Faith's eye before going to sit on the other side of Tara.

"I thought Kennedy was in here with her?" Willow asked, as her eyes rested on Tara's face.

"She was. I came in here and Kennedy left," Faith said, simply.

Willow nodded and took Tara's hand in hers, not saying anything else to Faith as she held the blonde's hand. They sat like that in silence for a long time before Faith walked out, leaving Willow alone with Tara.

"Tara, I need you. I need you to be alright. I need you to wake up. I miss you, Baby," Willow whispered, looking at the blonde. "I miss you so much."

Closing her green eyes, Willow rested her forehead against their intertwined hands. "I love you, Tara. I am so in love with you that it hurts to breath. I can't lose you. I can't."

As the words left Willow's mouth, tears slowly slid down her face, causing her body to shake as sobs ripped from her throat. She couldn't imagine life without her best friend. Tears rolled down her cheek as she silently cried herself to sleep.

Weeks had passed since Tara was shot, and Willow felt like her whole world was crumbling in around her. There had been no change in the blonde, and Willow wondered if Tara would make it. Everyone was worried about their friends, not just Tara, but Willow as well. Willow rarely left the blonde's side, and Buffy worried that her friend would become ill from not taking care of herself.

"Will?" Buffy whispered, walking up to rest her hand on her friend's shoulder. "You really need to go home and get some sleep. You haven't left all week."

"I can't go, Buffy. I can't leave her."

"Will, we've been through this. Tara wouldn't want you to hurt yourself by staying here," Buffy reminded her, frowning as she lightly gave her friend's shoulder a slight squeeze.

Willow didn't say anything as she held onto Tara's hand, not looking at her friend.

"Will?" Buffy tried again, knowing it was useless. Willow had gone into a downward spiral.

Squeezing Willow's shoulder once more, Buffy turned and started towards the door when it opened. Standing in the doorway, Giles took in the sight of the three girls. He hated seeing Tara hooked up to so many machines, unresponsive to any touch or voice. Willow wasn't any better. She had shut herself off to most of the world except Tara. They rarely got her to eat. She'd eat maybe one meal every day or two. Buffy constantly tried everything in her power to get Willow to leave the blonde's side, but she and Giles had come to learn that Willow wasn't going anywhere.

"Hey, Giles," Buffy said softly, walking over to stand beside him.

"Hello, Buffy. How is she?" Giles asked, looking at Willow and Tara.

"Which one?" Buffy questioned, not knowing which one of her friends Giles was referring to.

"Both."

Buffy frowned and turned to look at Tara's unconscious form, and Willow's frozen form. "The same. Willow still won't go anywhere, and there's been no change for Tara," Buffy said, looking at the older man. "Any news on Amy?"

Taking his glasses off, Giles quickly rubbed the bridge of his nose, hating the fact that two of his "daughters" were hurting so much. "I spoke to the sheriff a few moments ago. Amy pleaded guilty. She received the minimum penalty," Giles told her, as he slid his glasses back on.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, if Tara does not survive, then Amy will be facing life in prison. If Tara lives and has some damage, then she'll serve 15 years in prison with an early release at 12 years for good behavior," Giles explained, looking at Buffy.

"So she pretty much just got a slap on the hand?" Buffy summarized, her anger at the situation showing in her voice.

"I'm afraid so," Giles admitted, frowning.

"Did you tell the others?" Buffy asked, pointing to the door.

"No, I was planning to tell everyone together. I don't know how to tell Willow without upsetting her."

"I'll take care of telling Will. You might want to tell the others. Dawn and Faith are probably planning Amy's murder," Buffy said, watching as Giles nodded in agreement before she walked over to kneel beside Willow. "Will?"

Willow didn't move, giving no signs that she heard Buffy. "Willow, did you hear what Giles said about Amy?"

"I heard," Willow whispered, turning her head to look at Buffy briefly before looking back at Tara. It was the first time Willow had looked away from Tara all week.

"She'll get what she deserves sooner or later, Will. She won't get away with this. I promise you that," Buffy said, resting her hand over the hand Willow had covering Tara's.

"I know," Willow said softly.

Buffy nodded, and stood, deciding it was time to leave her friend alone with her thoughts. Walking from the room, Buffy glanced back once more at her best friends, before pulling the door closed, hating to leave them.

Willow heard the door close, and sighed in relief. She was tired of hiding how much she was hurting in front of her friends. She couldn't hide it all. She wasn't going to force herself to leave Tara's side, but she could hold back the tears. She could keep the fear and confusion at bay until they left the room. It was the least she could do for them.

Closing her eyes, Willow felt the tears start falling down her cheeks again. She felt the fear that came from hearing Amy's name rip through her as her whole body began to shake, remembering the look of pure hatred and insanity on that cruel face.

As the darkness in her mind started to consume her, Willow was about to give in when one sound washed all the darkness away. One word cleared her mind of doubt and fear, and one voice took the pain and sadness away.

Looking up, Willow looked into familiar blue eyes as that one word was said again by the voice Willow loved so much. "Willow?"

A/N: Thank you Gimpy72 for helping with this chapter. I appreciate you reading it and correcting things that I didn't notice or think about.