Homecoming by Gina

Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing in nor make any money off of the stories I write, all characters belong to their rightful creators. Any character that I may create is mine and may not be used without asking but who would want to use one of my creations!
Distribution: The Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Please ask.
Feedback: Yes, please!
Spoilers: Post-Chosen.
Author's Notes: This is my second B/T fic and I hope it goes well.
Pairing: Buffy/Tara

Summary: Buffy finds Tara two years after Chosen.

Buffy had settled in a small town in the state of Vermont for the last few days. The slayers, Watchers and other factions of their new council were scattered around the world and fighting off evil to the best of their abilities. After her disastrous time with the Immortal, she thought a little vacation would do her some good. She hadn't really had a vacation to speak of in the last decade or so and hoped this one would go well.

Willow had settled down her black magic usage in time to help with the fighting of the first as well as rebuilding the Council. She was also deeply in love with Kennedy, a slayer that Buffy didn't like much but it was not her decision to make. After Tara had left Willow for the mind-altering spell a year before the big battle, Buffy was just happy that Willow found it within herself to move on. She was even happier that the two decided to take residence in England where Willow could oversee the daily operations of the Council more efficiently. Not because she wanted rid of Willow but didn't want to be around Kennedy much as the two never clicked.

Dawn and Andrew would be getting married within the next few weeks and Buffy was glad that her sister had found happiness. She never believed that it would be with someone as girlish as Andrew Wells but it was and so Buffy was happy. As for Faith, she and Xander had a fun time together and chose to stick with the west coast for their area of finding slayers and fighting demons.

Buffy was content with her role in the new Council but the time for leisure was simply not enough. She had thought, after Sunnydale caved in, that she would get more time to find some semblance of normalcy in her life. Thus far, that was not the case because she had to train slayers and help find new slayers. Faith, some of the more experienced slayers and Giles helped with these areas also. For those reasons, Buffy was looking forward to less time at work in the near future.

Buffy pulled her rental car up to a small restaurant in the quiet town. She thought that pointing to a town on a map was a brilliant way of picking a vacation spot, as this town was great. It was small, quiet, and no evil thus far and had all of the necessities that she needed. There was a small strip of locally owned stores in which she could shop and a small inn in which she relaxed and slept. There were also a couple nice restaurants and a movie theater for her eating and entertainment pleasure. There was also a river and Buffy found that sitting near the running water was peaceful and relaxing. She enjoyed this little town and, for the first time since the fall of Sunnydale, felt that this could be the place she settled in as she took a less active role in the Council.

As she walked into the small diner, her mouth dropped and she stood frozen in memories. Seated at a corner table was the most kind-hearted person that Buffy ever knew. She took a second glance and knew it had to be her. The smile, the eyes, and the warmth that exuded from Tara's features were all there. "Tara!" Buffy called and rushed over to the table.

Tara Maclay looked up from her salad and saw who was calling her. She could not believe that, after all this time, someone from her past would show up here. She had mixed emotions about this but was glad to see Buffy's smiling face. She stood from her seat and greeted Buffy with a warm smile and hug. "Oh my God!" Tara exclaimed, as the waiter brought her soup to the table.

"I'll have whatever she's having," Buffy said excitedly. She was devastated when Tara had decided to leave Sunnydale but understood her reasons. "Tara, this is just wonderful to run into you! I so can not believe this!" Buffy pulled the woman into another hug and quickly released it having realized that she was using too much slayer strength.

"What brings you here?" Tara asked, as the waiter brought Buffy's salad. "Is Dawnie or anyone else with you?

No, I'm flying solo these days." Buffy said and sat down at the table with Tara. "I'm on a much needed vacation from work. I don't know what all you've heard, if anything, but it's been a rough few years since you left.

I saw in the papers that Sunnydale caved in on itself or something of that nature. I called around and got up with someone in Angel's organization who told me a bit of the details." Tara said in a far off voice that echoed sadness. She had wished, with every fiber of her being, that she did not have to leave her friends but staying around Willow was too much.

"So, what are you up to? Will we have time to catch up or are you just passing through?" Buffy questioned with excitement showing in her voice. "Tara, I am so happy to see you but I think I said that before.

I live here," Tara said and flashed her classic half-grin at Buffy. "I finished college and then started studying healing with herbs and powers with this elderly lady. She added to my mother's teachings and it helps pay the bills. I'm a substitute teacher and herbal practitioner. A lot of people are into herbs now and it's a great career for me.

Wow, I'm glad that you found your place in life Tara. I wish that you could have stayed with us but we all understood, even Willow after awhile." Buffy spoke in a low serious tone, as the waiter brought her soup.

The two finished their dinner much too soon and were readying to leave. "Are you staying at the inn?" Tara asked as the two women walked out to their cars.

"Yes," Buffy said, it's a nice little place. I pay daily so that I don't have to get a refund in case I have to leave fast." She smiled at Tara and hugged her again. This was the best vacation that she could remember having in a long time.

"Well then," Tara spoke with uncertainty in her voice. "You're welcome to stay at my house and we can have more time to catch up." She jotted her number down on a small piece of paper and handed it to Buffy.

"That sounds great," Buffy's face beamed with excitement as she took the paper from Tara. "I'll call you up tomorrow to see when a good time is for me to drop in. Say Tara, is there any evil around here?

Every now and then there is a strange death," Tara creased her brow in thought. "I suspect it but have not yet witnessed anything so I can't say for sure. I think there is some form of creature everywhere though Buffy." She finished speaking and got into her car with a smile.

As Buffy got into her car, she smiled again. The peace that she had felt when she saw Tara was foreign to her. It was a welcome feeling though because Buffy had rarely felt at peace with anything since she was brought back from the dead. Tara was there to help her then and now maybe Tara could help her with her latest secret that she feared would befall other slayers as they reached the age of twenty-five. Buffy shook her head out of the somber thought of what her secret meant and drove to her room for a good night's sleep.

Buffy settled into Tara's country-style house early that next evening. She liked the feel of the home, which was decorated with a few pretty but inexpensive paintings of Wicca related events. There were pictures of the Scooby gang on the walls also, which made Buffy smile inwardly. It comforted her to know that Tara hadn't forgotten them when she decided to move on. She wasn't even certain as to why it was such a comfort to her. There was a cabinet that contained jars of ointments and crystals. Buffy assumed that those were for Tara's herbal healing practice. There was also a small dog running about the, house which made Buffy smile. This place sure felt like home, a place that Buffy had long yearned to feel again. "This is nice and cozy," Buffy said and sat down in the plush recliner chair. "I really like this town, the shops and stuff are so, um, quaint and it just gives me a peaceful feeling."

Tara smiled at the slayer and handed her a cup of hot chocolate. "I love it here so far. I don't think I'd ever move back to the city." Tara said softly and stepped into the kitchen to check on dinner.

The two ate a small meal of salad, roast and veggies in virtual silence. Both women were content to relax with their meal while the TV displayed the evening news. "How long are you staying here for?" Tara asked Buffy in a casual tone.

"Until someone calls and forces me to go back to work." Buffy's features dropped at the mention of going back to work.

"Is something wrong at work?" Tara asked having seen the sudden change in Buffy.

"Probably so," Buffy said and tried to think of a way around the subject. She hadn't meant to go into this with Tara this soon. She knew that the blonde had a way of getting information out of her and prepared to spill it. "On my 25th birthday, I started to feel different and tried to shuck it off as growing older blues. Well, I'd guess that my powers are well over half way diminished. They have stayed the same for the last two weeks now and so I'm guessing it's not a total loss of power but enough to make me not a full slayer." Buffy frowned at her admission. The truth was, she didn't feel complete and hadn't since the slow power drainage. "There is nothing in the diaries about it and I guess there won't be. When Willow did that spell to give power to all the slayers, I think it sorta threw out all the prior slayer rules."

Tara looked at Buffy's frustrated face and felt for her. She knew that Willow's main problem was doing spells before researching the consequences. Granted, what Willow did helped save the world from the first at that particular time. But what would the long-term fall out be? "If you give me some more to go on I might be able to find out what's going on." Tara offered trying not to sound very hopeful. The fact was that this all happened a long time ago and reversing any damage was most likely too late.

Buffy withdrew a long shallow breath and began to detail her story. She told Tara how she had found the Scythe in this cave that was lit with torches and how the woman said that it was created to aid the slayer in her battle against the first. Willow then had taken the Scythe and used it to perform a spell to release slayer powers to all the slayers around the world. Buffy concluded her story by telling Tara how well it worked and that Willow looked like a Goddess with white hair when she did the spell. She told Tara that Giles had said Willow is an earth Goddess but that, after the battle, Willow went right back to her struggle with power. "So that's it in a nutshell." Buffy looked at Tara's features and noticed that they were recovering from a look of horror. "So what's the problem? Is it the Scythe?"

Tara shook her head no and withdrew a small sheet of paper. On it were dates that she was hospitalized for passing out with the time of her being unconscious coinciding with the time in which Willow performed the spell. "There's more," Tara said and withdrew a small notepad. She had gone to therapy a few times after having vivid dreams. The dreams were of carnage, death and sorrow. She also had a drawing of the Scythe that Buffy had described. The therapist was a Wicca therapist, which made it easier for Tara to discuss things. "Diane put me under hypnosis and couldn't get anything pertaining to the time of my black out but the dreams that I'd been having.

So, what's the big picture then?" Buffy asked with her full attention given to Tara.

"That I don't know but maybe because of my past connection with Willow or you all in general, I was seeing this and blacked out. Maybe I might have seen something that could help you more with this power problem that you are having." Tara said with a look of frustration on her face.

"Well, Faith turns 25 in three months. I'd hate to wait till then to find out if this is a fluke for me only or if it deals with all the slayers." Buffy said dejectedly.

Tara leaned over and pulled Buffy into a hug, "don't get so down on yourself Buffy. We have a possible lead and that's more than you had before you ran into me." She felt bad for her friend who had gone through so much over the last few years. She was pulled out of heaven and expected to resume her duties without any ramification. This was yet another spell that Willow performed without thinking of the outcome and it hurt Tara to know that they not only allowed her to do it, but also took part in it.

Buffy felt calm and relaxed the instant that Tara put her arms around her. She had always been the one having to run the show, even after all of the slayers were called. With Tara, she felt that she could let her guard down a little and even relax. She felt comfortable with not having to be strong and a leader all the time. It made her wish more strongly that Tara never left Sunnydale. "I just don't understand what's happening to me and everything else really. The possibilities are endless," Buffy made a sweeping gesture around the room with her hand as she spoke. "What if all the slayers go through this transformation and the power dries up as a result of the spell that we did to stop the first?" Buffy finally let out the question that had nagged her since the onset of her power reduction and felt a huge weight lifted from her chest upon doing so.

Tara wanted to give the slayer words of assurance that these things would not come to pass but could not. She didn't have the answers and was never one to pretend that she had something that she did not. "We just have to dig around and find the answers before we speculate Buffy. You remember where speculation got us in those Scooby meetings," Tara shrugged at remembrance of their many failed plans. "We'd get lucky and come up with the right answer in the end but often went through a lot of headaches as result of our half-baked plans."

Buffy sighed a breath of air and looked at Tara with a small smile. "You're right about that for sure," She returned the blonde's hug and then leaned back in the recliner. "I've missed you so much Tara. You were the voice of reason mixed in with a crazy bunch of demon fighters."

Tara simply smiled at the slayer and began to take their plates to the kitchen. "Just relax and I'll get this cleaned up." She said as Buffy quickly got to her feet and followed her. "I can get it Buffy," the blonde replied with a smile but knew that Buffy would not allow Tara to wait on her. She would pull her weight as long as she was staying with Tara and Tara knew this.

"I wanted to ask you something," Buffy ventured cautiously. "Did you ever miss us?" Buffy posed the question in such a way that Tara knew she was asking about Willow and not the rest of the Scoobies.

"Buffy," Tara's features saddened slightly as she began to speak. "I loved Willow with all my heart and I know that she did love me. I couldn't stay there and allow her to run a muck with my mind, feelings or her powers because of me any longer. I've often wondered if I made the right decision but I believe that I did.

The first ran a muck with her mind some time after you left." Buffy took in a sharp breath and shivered before she continued. "It tricked us all Tara and made us think that you came back to Willow. Then it made us think that you were shot and killed by Warren Mears. The only thing that stopped Willow from ending the world was Xander finding a phone message that you had left that day for Dawnie. She was about to destroy us all and was doing a nice job of it because she thought that you had died. So Xander rushed to her with that message to Dawn saying that you couldn't make it to some fictitious party that she had invited you to. Apparently it was a last-ditch effort on her part to get you back to Sunnydale but now I thank God that she did it and that you returned the call."

Tara's heart ached for Willow when Buffy had finished telling the story of what happened. "Why didn't anyone call me?" Tara asked in a concerned and slightly hurt tone of voice. "I would have came Buffy; I would not have let her go through that on her own." Tara's eyes filled up with tears and Buffy knew that she did love Willow with all her heart.

"Well it was then that we all realized what a terrible shape that Willow really was in. We didn't realize, at that time, that the first was the one doing all of these things. Giles took her to England for some Wicca healing thing and she's had problems ever since but is doing much better. I think I knew then that she loved you too much. I mean, you were good for her but could also be her downfall if something were to happen to you. I decided that I didn't want to put you through that and allowed Giles to handle things as he saw fit." Buffy shrugged and hoped that Tara would not be angry with her for the decision that she had made but knew that she understood if Tara were angry.

"So, she's all right now?" Tara asked tentatively with hope and fear mixed in her tone of voice. She knew that if Willow hadn't really recovered and weren't all right, she'd never forgive herself for abandoning her former lover.

"Yes, she's doing well Tara and don't you dare try to find a way to blame that on yourself. Willow hurt you badly and you just couldn't handle it anymore. I know what it's like to watch someone you love become something that you can't live with." Buffy shuddered briefly at the thought of Spike but recovered quickly. He truly did try to change with the soul and he did it as penance for what he did wrong to her.

"I know but it's just sad Buffy. I still miss the Willow that I loved with every ounce of energy I had but she left way before I left Sunnydale." It was Tara's turn to let a tear fall and Buffy's turn to comfort her friend.

"You know what," Buffy stood and pulled Tara up with her. "We should get some rest so that you can do your day's work tomorrow and then we can start trying to fix me again. You were good at fixing me Tara." Buffy smiled up at the blonde and felt warm inside when Tara returned the smile.

Buffy spent the next couple of days getting reacquainted with her long-lost friend. She had told Tara how things ended up with Spike and of his sacrifice to help them save the world. She also told her about how he had got himself a soul after the attempted rape that messed him up for a short period. She told her how Anya sacrificed her life to help Andrew Wells, the man who aided in Tara's supposed death. She told her of Dawn's pending wedding and how she was certain that Dawn would enjoy Tara being there. Finally, she told her of her adventures post-Sunnydale and her brief engagement to the Immortal.

Tara was intrigued and saddened by Buffy's tales of her friends during their long walks and relaxing dinners. She was growing very comfortable with the slayer being around and nightly thanked the Goddess that Buffy had found her. The two had always had a good friendship and Tara didn't realize how much she had missed that until Buffy happened back into her life. She was sad to hear of Anya's death, the ex-demon was always kind to her. She was also glad that Anya's death was not in vein and had a greater purpose to it. She was truly proud of her friend and that, after all the time spent together, Anya had finally learned what it meant to be a human. She knew that she would love to attend Dawn's wedding but wasn't certain if she wanted to face Willow.

Buffy had told her that Willow was happy and Tara knew that she had made the choice to move on but there was always that wonderment as to how things could have been in the back of her mind. She wondered if that same feeling remained in Willow's mind and feared what might happen if it was. She feared this because sometimes old wounds were better off left untouched never to be explored again.

As the two walked up the driveway of Tara's quaint home, Buffy noticed that her friend seemed distant. "Tara, is something wrong?

I was just thinking about the wedding," Tara said flatly. "I would love to go Buffy but…

Willow?" Buffy enquired softly having known that Willow would always be a tender subject for the Blonde.

"I don't want to make anything uncomfortable for Willow or Dawn on Dawn's big day." Tara said honestly and with a slight hint of sadness showing in her eyes.

"That's understandable but I don't think Willow is going to make the wedding." Buffy said in a more upbeat tone. "She and Dawn had fierce words over Kennedy and Dawn doesn't want Kennedy in her presence. The last I knew, Willow called Dawn a brat and said that she would not come unless Dawn mended fences long enough to allow Kennedy to accompany her. Of course Dawn replied with an adamant no and so I think it's safety say that Will isn't going.

So you all went your own ways," Tara said with a great deal of sorrow in her voice. The group had once been so close and had an unbreakable bond. It seemed that that bond had slithered apart over the years and that saddened the Wicca. She thought the core members of the gang would always be one big happy family but realized that she was wrong on her assumption.

"Well, after Anya died, Xander took up with Faith and that is working out well enough for the both of them. Dawn and Andrew had nobody to cling to because their sounding boards, you and Anya, were gone. Things happened between them and I think everyone is truly happy, even Willow." Buffy said with more hope of her reference to Willow then actual belief.

As Tara pondered what Buffy had just said and prepared to unlock the door, a large creature lumbered towards the two women. She watched Buffy go after it with a little less speed and strength than what Tara was accustomed to seeing from the slayer. She watched Buffy go rounds with the demon for several minutes as an overwhelming sadness overtook her features. She knew that Buffy had always wanted some sort of normalcy in her life but now that it possibly was upon her, she didn't know if Buffy wanted it from within her heart.

As Tara watched Buffy battle with the demon, she felt uneasy about the entire situation. There was something missing in the bigger scheme of things but she could not put her finger on it no matter how hard she tried. Her attention was turned back to Buffy as another demon came up and attacked her from behind. Tara acted quickly and raised both hands towards the two demons. She didn't want to snag the slayer's thunder and kill them but felt compelled to back them off slightly thus enabling Buffy to regain her bearings.

One of the demons saw the white energy that crackled in the air as it left Tara's fingers. It swirled through the air towards its mark as it's light grew more white and larger. "It's the Goddess!" One of the two demons shouted and they both made a hasty retreat.

The statement from the demon caused Tara and Buffy to stand frozen in total shock, which aided in the demon's escape. "What did he say?" Buffy asked with questioning eyes and watched the energy rescind into the earth. "Tara, that came out of your hands and I just saw it go into the earth. After Kennedy's description of what happened when Willow performed that spell, we assumed that Willow was an earth Goddess and that demon called you the Goddess!" Buffy exclaimed with a look of utter confusion plastered on her face.

Tara's face mirrored the look on Buffy's as she placed the key in her front door with a shaky hand. The implications of what the demon said, if true, were huge. She didn't want to believe what the thing said but it fit. Her black out, the dreams of what happened in Sunnydale and the fact that Willow still struggled with her powers. "I don't understand Buffy." Tara spoke slowly in an almost whispered voice.

"Well I surely don't understand," Buffy said and placed a comforting arm around her friend. "Maybe I should call Giles and he could help us out with the explaining part.

No," Tara said in a quiet but firm voice. "You have a wedding to get through and I need to process this. If you can find out for sure that Willow isn't going to the wedding, maybe I can speak with Giles then." Tara wanted answers as much as Buffy did but didn't want to jump into things and get everyone off on a tangent if there wasn't just cause for going off on a tangent.

"Tara, I will respect your wishes of course but I think this is important and shouldn't keep for too long." Buffy shook her head and got two glasses down to get them something to drink. "You said demonic things were rare here and so I'm guessing that they were after me because of my reduced powers. Now that they know that an earth Goddess is here, it will only get worse.

It could be a bluff Buffy," Tara said shyly and accepted the cold juice offered her by the slayer. Deep down she knew that Buffy was, in all probability, correct in her assessment but wanted a little time to think things over.

Buffy decided not to force the issue any further just now. She knew that Tara's practicality would win out and that it would probably be long before Dawn's wedding. "The wedding is in two weeks and if you want to wait so long," Buffy shrugged, "I'll go along with your wishes.

Thanks Buffy," Tara said with a look of relief on her face. Just beneath that feeling of relief however, were feelings of worry and fear. If the demon was telling the truth, would Tara be forced to take a more active role with the Scoobies? This was something that she really did not want to do and mainly because of Willow. She knew that she still felt love in her heart for the woman but could not allow herself to be drawn back in. She also knew that she was growing fond of Buffy; a feeling that she was certain was not reciprocated.

"You've done a lot for me of late Tara. The least I can do is repay the kindness by not pushing you into something that you obviously aren't ready for." Buffy said with a tentative smile on her face. She looked at the blonde and felt warmth and understanding in her eyes. She realized how stupid Willow was to let this one get away and that, if she had someone this virtuous, she would never let them get away.

"We'll figure all of this out Buffy. We always do," Tara said with a forced smile on her face. "I think we should get some sleep.

I think you're right once again. Sleep might help our brains to relax and then maybe we'll come up with a new idea tomorrow." Buffy gave her friend one last hug and headed for her room. She wondered what lie ahead for the two friends as they ventured to work out their problems. She wondered what it would mean if Tara was the goddess and not Willow. She then realized that all of her wonderings was going to make for a long night of restless sleep.

Meanwhile, Tara relaxed in a nice hot tub of water in hopes of releasing the tension that had built up in her muscles ever since she heard the words the demon spoke. She tried to find a logical explanation other then his words being true, but the fear in his eyes when he spoke the words frightened her. The fear and actions that the demons took due to her own actions while coming to Buffy's aid pointed to one explanation. That was that she was the Goddess and was somehow involved in the end fight with the first evil when Sunnydale caved in.

As the sun rose that next morning, Tara lay in a deep slumber. She saw her self far off in the distance moving methodically towards something. She saw what looked like a silver cord attached to her body and then to a silhouette of herself moving further away from her body. She heard a low voice saying, "I need you Tara," and knew it to be Willow's. She watched in horror as the silhouette of herself moved into a room where Willow held a Scythe and then the figure disappeared into Willow's chest. Willow began to chant some words and the Tara that watched from afar knew what was happening. She then felt a great energy in the air and then Willow's hair went white and her image withdrew from the redhead's body. She knew, by the look on Willow's face, that she felt Tara's presence.

As Tara jerked about in bed from the vivid dream, Buffy raced in and tried to wake her up. She saw that Tara's facial features changed from shock to pained to confusion as the blonde opened her eyes. "I saw it all Buffy." Tara stammered as Buffy pulled her shaking body into her arms. "Maybe it was just a dream but I saw it all.

Tara explained every detail of the dream including seeing her projected self going back into her own body. She told Buffy a few details of the fighting and Buffy knew that it wasn't just a dream. She believed more than ever now that Tara was the Goddess and that this needed immediate attention. "We have to phone Giles Tara. Maybe if you learn what your role as the earth Goddess is, you can stop this power outage thingie.

The earth Goddess simply uses the earth to aid in healing, battles and so forth. She's not a Goddess like the Goddess of love and so on but rather a human with Goddess like powers because she was chosen before her birth to use the earth to aid mankind." Tara said in a matter of fact tone. Nobody had to give her lessons on such things as she had studied these topics since her childhood.

She recalled her studies and her mother telling her repeatedly that it was imperative for her to understand the differences between the earth Goddess and the Goddesses who live in the other realms. She had insisted that Tara practice feeling the vibes that the earth's energy gave off and Tara now knew why. She knew that her mother knew what she was and tried her best to prepare her for her tasks as she grew into her role as the current earth Goddess."

Tara," Buffy said more urgently and was glad to see that the blonde had finally turned her gaze towards her. "What's going on? Maybe we should get you something to eat and a nice hot shower and then we can talk this over.

I was just thinking about my mom, she knew and I can remember the things that she told me now. She wanted me to be ready but I'm not!" Tara stood abruptly and went into the bathroom, leaving a bewildered slayer in her bedroom.

Buffy collected herself and headed down to the kitchen. She got a light breakfast that consisted of toast with butter and jam and juice ready. She then tried to find something to do to busy herself while Tara did whatever she was doing in the bathroom. She didn't want to crowd her friend but felt helpless piddling around in the kitchen. The kitchen was somewhat of a foreign room to Buffy and everyone knew it but here she was trying to pass the time off in this room until Tara returned. "Buffy?" Tara's soft voice broke through the silence and made Buffy's facial tenseness relax immediately.

"Hey," Buffy said and motioned to the breakfast. "I didn't know what else to make and wanted to give you a few minutes to yourself.

Thanks," Tara said in a defeated tone and sat down to eat. "Buffy, I don't want anyone but maybe Mr. Giles to know about this. Willow has had so much taken from her in her life and I don't want to take this. I'm afraid that it might break her."

Buffy looked into the sky-blue eyes of the woman that she was growing more comfortable with by the minute. She saw nothing but compassion in those eyes and it warmed her heart. If she could have a fully normal life, she knew it would be spent with someone like Tara. "I promise that I won't say anything until you tell me to Tara." Buffy said as she finished her breakfast. "I wish we had more people as selfless and loving as you Tara. If we did, we could all get a happy ending.

There is hope that you can be happy Buffy." Tara said with a slight smile replacing the worried look on her face. "We'll get to the bottom of all of our problems and then you can relax.

I hope so," Buffy said, as the two women seemed to get lost in each other's gaze. "I'll get this cleaned up so you can get to work." Buffy said quickly and stood from the table to break the moment.

Later that evening, the two women had decided to go out for a nice dinner rather then stay at home and deal with life. They had gone to a quaint diner, which was dimly lit and had soft music playing in the background. It created a nice ambiance for a relaxing evening and the two were enjoying it immensely. As they finished their dinner, they both noticed a few couples dancing. They both wished that they had someone to share a night of dining and dancing with but dared not to entertain the notion that the other was feeling the same way.

Both women tried to chalk it up to having spent far to many nights alone but knew that this was not the case. "Hey," Buffy tried the casual approach. "Let's go out and dance with all those people.

All right but I'm not a good dancer," Tara said with a reluctant smile. She quickly changed the look on her face out of fear that Buffy would read the situation wrong. She then mentally kicked herself because she knew that Buffy was just being friendly. She was certain that there was no situation to read but smiled more eagerly as the slayer led her towards the other dancers.

"I've seen you dance Tara." Buffy replied and then felt like a fool. She didn't want to say things that would cause Tara to think of her time with Willow because that usually made her sad. She knew that Tara would know that she was referring to her birthday dance with the redhead and could have slapped herself immediately for saying the words before thinking.

Tara's mind drifted back, for the briefest of moments, to the birthday party in question. It was the night that the gang found out that she was not a demon. She and Willow were so in love then and the world seemed to be at their feet. She shook her head and tried to display a full smile. "Times sure do change," Tara said softly and relaxed in the dance with the slayer.

"They sure do Tara." Buffy said and gazed into the soft blue pools of kindness that belonged to Tara Maclay. "Who would've ever thought that the two of us would be so far from Sunnydale and dancing together?

Sunnydale seems so long ago and distant most of the time now." Tara replied honestly as she gazed back into Buffy's lively eyes.

As the two women danced and gazed at each other with an ever-growing attraction, the first mutual kiss happened. The women moved away quickly and looked apologetically at each other. "I'm sorry Buffy, I didn't mean…

If I recall, we both did it. If it's something that neither of us minded, we have nothing to be sorry about." Buffy answered boldly with a beaming smile on her face. She knew that she was attracted to the blonde and didn't feel one bit sorry about it. Her time with Willow was years ago and therefore Buffy had no reason to feel guilty.

"You're right," Tara said with a smile and they shared another kiss before heading out of the diner.

Buffy took hold of Tara's hand as they walked towards the car. The night air was cool and fresh and Buffy wished that they could just walk home. "Tara, if you're uncomfortable just tell me. I don't want us to mess up the friendship that we have and I certainly don't want to move in any given direction with great speed. I mean, if there is a direction." Buffy felt a little uneasy after her burst of confidence. She should not have assumed so much from a couple of kisses and was regretting having spoke on the subject so confidently.

"It's all right Buffy," Tara gave the slayer's hand a reassuring squeeze and smiled brightly. "We're not doing anything wrong to anyone and nobody is moving fast." Tara believed that she and Buffy were not stepping on anyone's toes by their dancing and kissing but felt a small pang of guilt. Willow was Buffy's best friend and the woman who still held a huge piece of her heart. She resolved not to share this feeling with Buffy in hopes that it would go away as time went on. She didn't want to say anything that would cause Buffy to back off and feared that might just do it.

Buffy smiled at Tara and gave her a quick kiss as they neared the car. "You're most always right Tara." The women laughed slightly as a figure moved away from the bushes unseen by them both.

The days droned onward with Buffy and Tara growing closer. They shared dinners, a little dancing, and many frank conversations over the loves and losses in their lives. They shared little about the problems of the super natural kind however, because they wanted a more relaxed ambiance in which to explore what lie ahead for them in terms of a relationship. The two wanted this time before the wedding to be spent furthering their relationship at a nice slow pace and had both agreed that they were not ready for full intimacy. They had a lot to deal with in many aspects and knew that deepening a relationship too much could only add to their plate. There was this Goddess issue and Buffy's lack of slayer abilities. Then there was the elephant in the room problem that they both felt but neither spoke of, the Willow factor. Combined, all of the problems served to slow their pace in furthering relations.

As the car the two women had rented at the airport drew closer to Dawn's apartment, Tara was glad that Willow wasn't going to be attending the wedding. She felt bad because she knew how close the gang once was but didn't know how it would work out if she had to see the redhead again. Buffy was glad that Willow wasn't going to be there also because she didn't want to see the hurt that she knew would be in her friend's eyes when she found out that she was trying to get closer to Tara. "We're almost there." Buffy said and gave Tara's arm a gentle pat.

Buffy could sense that Tara was nerved up about something and thought that it had to do with discussing their findings with Giles. "I know," Tara said softly and took note as to how her body began to tense up but she didn't know why. "I'm so excited to see Dawnie getting married." Tara said with a half-faked smile on her face, as she pulled the car into the parking space that Dawn had previously allotted for her guests. There weren't many available parking spaces for guests at the apartment complex but Dawn had phoned two days ago and let the women know that they could stay with her and that she had procured a couple of parking spaces from some of the residents.

As the two stepped out of the car, with hesitancy as to how they should enter the apartment, their decision was made for them. Both stood frozen still as statues, as Willow Rosenberg turned to face them with dancing but uncertain green eyes. "Willow," Buffy said in a hushed voice that spoke volumes to Tara. Buffy had hoped to convey the fact that she didn't know of this change of plans in her voice and was certain that she had done so by the glance that Tara gave her.

Dawn came bounding around the corner with a look of utter euphoria plastered on her face. She had worked for many years to get her two favorite lesbians back together and believed that she was on the road to success. Andrew thought that it was childish of her to still harbor this desire to see the women together but Dawn didn't care. When she was a teen, the two of them were her rock. They symbolized love and happiness in every sense of the words and Dawn was determined for them to reconnect on every level. She knew that all she had to do was tell Willow that Tara was coming and, if Willow still loved Tara, she would come without Kennedy. Dawn's calculation was correct because Willow didn't waste a millisecond in getting a flight and explaining to Kennedy how important it was for her to go see Dawn get married. Now here the two women were in each other's path again and Dawn was ecstatic with pride and joy for being the one to get them back on the right path.

Buffy watched as Tara headed back towards the car and Willow's facial expression dropped to one of despondent sadness. "Tara," Willow said in a soft pained tone of voice and the blonde stopped in her tracks. "I'll go," the redhead continued speaking with hurt etched on her face.

The raw emotion that Buffy saw being displayed by her friend caused pangs of guilt to sweep through her body like a vacuum. How could she have thought that she could have something special with Tara while Willow was obviously still grieving over the woman? As she looked over at Tara, she knew that the blonde was feeling much the same guilt. She also saw fear and confusion etched on Tara's face and felt great empathy for her. She wanted to race over and get Tara out of this situation as fast as she could. She wanted to go back to the security of Tara's house and pick up their slow-paced relations but knew that none of what she wanted mattered now. It was most likely fate that brought the two witches back together and Buffy knew that you could not go against fate.

"Tara," she opened her mouth to speak but nothing more came out. She didn't have the words to help the befuddled blonde thus resolved herself to step quietly beside Dawn.

"Why don't we all just go inside and try to get comfortable." Dawn said in a hurried tone. She wanted Willow and Tara to be able to speak to each other before they made a decision. Sure, she wanted her two friends back together but knew deep down that if that could not happen, at least they could get some closure and truly move on. Dawn was certain that the moving on would not happen, but that the initial conversation had to be instigated in order for the women to begin their reconnection stage. "Faith, Giles, Xander and Andrew are here and it would be good to see them?" Dawn questioned with a little tentativeness in her voice. She had finally noticed that there was some huge underlying tension coming from somewhere.

Willow made the quick decision to let her emotions, rather than rational thoughts, lead her and moved quickly to the blonde. "Tara," she said softly and put her arms around the woman in a firm hug that she wished she could never let go of. "I've missed you so much." Willow blurted out as Tara cautiously returned the hug. It felt so right to Willow for them to be embracing like this and she wanted it to last for an eternity.

Dawn watched Buffy as she watched the two women's reunion. Buffy saw the tentative look on Tara's face and the look of fear but hope that Willow's face displayed. When the two women embraced, she saw and felt that old familiar charge in the air that the gang had grown accustomed to when Willow and Tara were in their presence. Her heart both felt joy for her friends and ached for what she was undoubtedly about to lose. "Dawn, let's go on inside and let them talk." Buffy said in a hesitant voice and turned towards the entrance of the complex.

Tara stiffened slightly and then pulled herself free of Willow's embrace. She looked into the deep emerald pools that once held her heart and felt that old familiar electrical feeling rise. "I don't think a talk is good just now." Tara stammered out and Willow backed away like a wounded pup. "We just got here and I wasn't expecting Willow to be here and…

Of course," Willow said with slight hope returning to her voice. "I didn't mean to crowd you Tara." She turned to Buffy and gave her long-time friend a quick smile. "I'll just go in and make myself scarce for the time being." She smiled at the two women again and followed Dawn inside.

Tara wished that she could put Buffy's mind at ease but knew that she couldn't honestly do that at that moment. The feelings that she was developing for Buffy were real but there was no mistaking that the feelings she had locked away for Willow all those years ago were still there. "I've come this far, there is no reason to turn away now." Tara said in a quiet voice and tried to put on a brave face for Buffy.

A virtually silent dinner was ate that evening with everyone disappearing to their assigned sleeping areas or out of the apartment afterwards. Tara sat in the kitchen alone with confusion etched on her face. She had worked so hard to avoid this situation for so long and now it had caught up with her. She knew that she was attracted to Buffy but knew that her love for Willow was deep. As she rubbed her forehead with both hands, a soft hand touched her arm. "Tara, I'm so sorry." The blonde didn't want to lift her eyes to meet those of the speaker because she feared what would happen if she did.

"It's not your fault Willow." Tara said dryly without looking at the once light of her life.

"Yes it is Tara," Willow said and rounded the table to sit next to her. "Dawn told me that you were coming and I had to come. I have wondered all these years what would have happened if you didn't leave and if I didn't get all messed up by the first. Then maybe if I didn't mess with your mind to begin with, we wouldn't be in this boat. I had to come Tara because, no matter how much time passes, I still carry you in my heart. No matter where I go, I still feel you there with me. Even in the big battle, I could feel you Tara. It was as if you were there trying to keep me from screwing up." The determination in Willow's eyes was strong as she spoke. She was trying hard to show the depth of her feelings to the blonde and, if she had judged Tara's reactions correctly, it was working.

Tara could clearly see the love that Willow held for her in the redhead's eyes as she spoke and it scared her. She knew that so much was left unresolved between them but feared that she would make the wrong decision. "Willow, so much time has passed that I thought it best to…

No Tara," Willow cuffed Tara's hands in hers and looked deep into her eyes. "Don't say that you wanted to let go completely. Please don't tell me that you fell out of love with me and could never try at us again. Not now Tara, we've just found each other again and I'm begging you not to dismiss this so fast."

Part of Tara wanted to get up from the table and dismiss any thoughts of Willow forever while another part of her tugged at her to wait it out awhile. As Willow's lips moved closer to hers, Tara knew that she was in trouble. She could feel the electricity flash between them like a fierce bolt of lightening and didn't know if she was strong enough to stop it.

As Willow's lips moved still closer to Tara's with her pleading eyes boring into the blonde's, Xander walked into the room. He cleared his throat and Willow moved away from the love of her life. "Hi Xander," Tara said as her muscles began to relax.

He smiled a sad but knowing smile at Tara. "Hey gals," he popped open a can of Pepsi and turned back for the other room. "I got thirsty." He said and gave Tara a small smile to return her smile of gratitude and left the room.

"Willow," Tara began in hopes of getting a handle of the situation before Willow decided to try for another kiss. "You have Kennedy and I am talking with someone. I don't think we should get into the kissing stage because technically that is cheating." Tara's words were true but sounded lame to her as they rolled off her tongue.

"You're right," Willow said dejectedly and rounded the table to pick up the phone that sat on the counter. "Tara, give me one reason that is plausible to not call her and I won't. Otherwise, it's a done deal and she's out of my life."

Tara rounded the table swiftly and grabbed up the cordless phone in her hands. She looked at Willow with a determined but sad look in her eyes. "That right there is the reason. When it comes to me Willow, you can't think sensibly at all. You can't just split up with someone that you have been with for quite some time over the phone. You can't just call her, call things off and expect me to run into your arms like before we split up. We have both been through a great deal since our last meeting and it's impossible to just pick up where we left off!" Tara's face displayed pure anguish as she spoke but she knew that she was doing the right thing. "Willow, you have been with Kennedy for a couple of years now from what I hear. You cannot tell me that you don't have feelings for her."

Willow looked straight into Tara's eyes with determination in her own eyes. "Tara, I wanted to kill everything in my path when I thought you were dead. Of course, I care for Kennedy but you are my world Tara Maclay. You are what makes me eat, sleep and breathe daily because I know that you would not want me to harm myself. The truth is, without you, I am nothing and I have nothing."

Tara gazed into Willow's eyes and saw beyond a shadow of a doubt that the woman was speaking from the heart. She knew that she loved Willow deeply and always would but was as determined to not go back into the pain that she and Willow shared as Willow was to pull her back into it. "Willow I love you dearly and I always will. There is a place reserved in my heart for you that nobody will ever be able to touch. This place holds a deep love but also harbors a few more things. Hurt for the mind spell, fear for what you could become if I don't comply with your way of doing things and sadness because I cannot get beyond these things and rebuild our love. You have to truly let go of me Willow and then you can begin to heal." Tara finished speaking and turned quickly away from the redhead. She feared that if she saw the pain she was causing Willow, or tears in those beautiful green eyes, that she would cave in and begin to rebuild the bliss they once shared.

As Tara walked off, Willow slumped against the kitchen counter and wept. She wept for the love that she had ruined because of a magic addiction, deceit and flat out manipulation. Deep down, she knew that Tara was right but felt that their relationship could be fixed if Tara would just try. She knew that what they had was something special, so much that people are lucky to find it once in a lifetime. "I love you Tara, with every fiber within my being." Willow whispered quietly and walked out into the night.

"I love you too Willow." Tara said in a hushed voice from just inside the other room. She couldn't leave without knowing that Willow would be all right.

As Buffy came up behind her and swept her into a firm embrace, the tears began to trickledown Tara's cheeks. "I know this is hurting you badly Tara. I will totally understand if you want to go after her or even be with her. Angel and I have this deep connection too and it's one that will never be cute." Buffy wiped the tears from Tara's face as she spoke in a soothing tone. It was breaking her heart to say those words to Tara but she had to convey her feelings properly. Someone had to be the bigger person and be willing to walk away if necessary and Buffy didn't see that the person would be Willow.

"You walked away though Buffy." Tara said softly and began to relax in the slayer's comforting embrace.

"Yes I did but it wasn't easy. I will never ask nor try to force you to choose one of us Tara. That is your choice and I will respect whatever that choice is no matter how it makes me feel on the inside." Buffy gingerly spun Tara around as she spoke so that Tara could look into her eyes and see the truth behind her words. "The last thing I want to do is hurt you Tara and I will do everything in my power to keep from doing that.

That's why I want to stay with you Buffy." Tara's decision was so quick and precise that it stunned even her. "You're good and not selfish at all. You care about my feelings more then you do your own and that's important. I love Willow but I can't go back Buffy. It's just so hard to let go because I do love her so much."

Buffy felt an overwhelming feeling of euphoria when Tara said that she wanted to be with her. She felt bad for Willow but if Tara had made her choice, Buffy would do whatever she could to see that her wishes were carried out. "If you're sure this is what you want Tara then I will stand by you in whatever you have to do to straighten it out with Willow.

She's your best friend Buffy." Tara said in a faint voice that told Buffy that Tara did not want to ruin what she and Willow had between them.

"I will always care for Willow and be there if she needs me Tara. We haven't been the same since you all brought me back from the dead however, and I think everyone knows it. I don't want to hurt Will either but I have a chance at happiness that she blew in a big way. I don't want to screw it up if you want to be with me." Buffy's eyes shined with compassion, sadness and love as she spoke to Tara, who picked up on the emotions that Buffy was trying to show her.

"You're right," she said softly as the two drew closer and shared a gentle kiss. t was a kiss that left Dawn standing at the top of the stairs with an astonished look on her face.

Dawn stood at the top of the stairs with her mouth agape in total shock. She couldn't wrap the fact around her mind that Buffy was kissing the love of Willow's life. She had wanted Willow and Tara back together ever since she could remember but now her sister had the chance to be happy with a person as gracious and loving as Tara. Her mouth opened repeatedly, as she moved slowly down the stairs, but nothing came out. She didn't know how she felt about this discovery of hers or how she should feel about it. Willow and Tara had a great love, one that could be passed down in storybooks for many years to come. Buffy had the great tragedy story, which could also be handed down throughout the generations, but maybe had was the key word.

Buffy turned her gaze quickly towards the stairs and saw her sister coming towards them. This was not in her scope of situations as to how she and Tara's relationship would be made public but she supposed that it would work better than other scenarios that she had conjured up in her mind. "Hey Dawnie," she said in a quiet voice as the younger Summers sister stepped up beside the women.

"Couldn't you have told me what was going on before I allowed Willow to come here and possibly be the one to walk in on this?" Dawn said in a harsh tone of voice.

"Couldn't you have grown up and not hatched such a childish plan to try and get the two of them back together?" Buffy snapped back in defense of the kiss that she had just shared with Tara.

"None of this was planned Dawnie." The more reasonable voice of Tara added softly. "It's been a long time since Willow and I were together and I never thought that I would see her again. Buffy needed a friend and I was there. It sort of developed into something more while we were reconnecting the friendship.

She only came to this wedding because I was told that Willow would not be here Dawn." Buffy said in a low yet bitter manner. "We have a lot to deal with that is bigger then our relationship and you have just added to it by bringing Willow into the mix. There are things that we never wanted Willow to find out aside from our relationship and now she's going to end up with full disclosure." The look in Buffy's eyes was bordering dangerous, as Tara put a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

"Let's not fight," Tara said softly and shot them both a pleading look. She did not want Willow to find out that she was not the Goddess out of fear for Willow's mental state. She knew however, that it was in Willow's best interest to know the full truth.

"What's going on that I need to know about?" Dawn asked with a growing look of concern on her face.

"It's nothing that will have any bearing on the nuptials tomorrow evening. That's all you need to concern yourself with at the moment." Buffy said and forced a smile in her sister's direction.

"She's right," Tara said with a tentative smile. "Let's all get some sleep and we can sort through everything after your big day.

What do we do about Willow?" Dawn's question reverberated through the room as if it was the most important question of the year to be answered. The problem was, nobody had the pries winning answer.

Willow stood outside the rented hall and watched her friends bustle around in preparation of Dawn's wedding. She felt as though she did not belong in this crowd anymore. They had all moved on in different directions and shoved her out of the clique. She had used her powers the night before and watched the goings on inside Dawn's apartment. Willow felt as though she had a deadly slug put in her gut. When she saw her former best friend and the woman that she loved more then life kissing, she wanted to go on a magic induced rampage and hurt them all. This feeling scared her into hiding for the rest of the night but what scared her equally was the knowledge that Tara was protecting her from something more than a tryst with Buffy.

"I love you Tara," Willow said with deep pain and anguish in her voice. After softly speaking the words that were the only thing she knew to be a certainty for many years, Willow saw Tara turn towards the window and look directly into her eyes. She knew by the look in Tara's eyes that she had felt Willow's pain and love for her upon Willow speaking the words. Willow got the distinct impression that Tara knew that she was there because they were soul mates and nothing could ever take that away. She and Tara had a knack for sensing the presence of the other due to their strong bond and Buffy could never have that. This fact gave Willow something to relish in as she stepped inside the wedding venue with a renewed vigor.

The wedding went off without a hitch, much to the surprise of the entire gang minus Dawn and Andrew's new friends. After the reception began to die down, Giles stood up. "Before the two of you go off on your private celebration, we need to address some things."

Buffy quickly got to her feet with anger written all over her face. The plan was for Giles to keep this conversation private and not include the entire gang. He had stupidly disregarded her explicit request to do things with she, him and Tara alone. "Giles I told you to not involve everyone like this!

Buffy it involves everyone and therefore we must include everyone!" Giles barked back forcefully.

"We cannot keep such secrets from those involved and that is my final answer." Giles said in a leadership tone of voice.

"Stop!" Tara shouted and stood to her feet. "Mr. Giles, pardon my bluntness but some of these matters are delicate and I feel it will cause more harm then good if everyone is involved."

Giles just gave Tara a nonchalant glance and turned to the group. "Buffy came to me this morning to discuss the fact that her powers were diminishing quickly and greatly. She wanted me to research the cause of this and if it will trickle down to the other slayers."

"Damn you Rupert Giles!" Buffy shouted and launched herself at her onetime father figure.

"No Buffy!" Tara stated in a firm voice as she caught hold of Buffy's fist, which was about to connect with Giles' mouth.

"The slayer with the Scythe and the earth Goddess did not complete the spell properly. Unless the two can go back in time and fix it quickly, within the next six months there will be no such thing as a slayer." Giles added with a little too much excitement in his voice to suit the dark-haired slayer.

"How much time do we have?" Willow asked, being glad to have something other than her crappy love life to focus on.

"That's just the thing Ms. Rosenberg," Giles smiled and straightened up as if he were making the most important announcement that he had ever made. "You have all the time in the world. The Goddess, well she has till midnight. It is your fault that this spell went awry per usual. If the Goddess had performed the entire spell on her own, this may not have happened."

Suddenly, Giles felt himself flying across the room and landing in the corner in a heap of aching bones. Standing in the middle of the room Was Tara Maclay with her blue eyes having turned white. There was also a white flame receding back into her palm. "You will not blame this on Willow! Do you hear me Mr. Giles, or whoever you are? You all put this on her and all but forced her to do it! You all gave her the confidence that she needed to do the best she could with this spell and I will not allow you to break her down like this!"

With the entire gang looking on in utter disbelief, Willow got to her feet and prepared to run. Her head was in a mess with emotions and she just couldn't stay in that room any longer. She screwed up yet another spell that would cause the slayer line to be non-existent and now, probably wasn't even the earth Goddess. "No Willow," Tara's soothing voice reached her ears and cut through all the jumbled thoughts in her mind.

Meanwhile, Buffy watched Tara's reaction to the treatment of Willow. She knew that Tara was right to display her anger at Giles for his behavior but also knew something else. No matter how much she and Tara grew to care for each other, maybe even love each other, Willow was her truest love of a lifetime. This knowledge pained her deeply because she was developing strong feelings for Tara and did not want to just walk away from them. She also didn't know if she could spend her life knowing that she was second to Willow.

As the circus fueled by Giles continued, Faith studied Buffy intently. She could see pain in the slayer's eyes for both Willow and herself. She didn't know the details of what was going on but knew that it had to do with something more then the current crisis. "B," she said quietly and stepped over to the other slayer. "You all right?"

Andrew stood up from his chair and straightened his collar. He didn't know much either but came to one conclusion easily. "Giles, when we thought that you were the first, we were wrong. I think we were close however and that the first did something to you that is obviously permanent. You are most likely the reason the spell did not go as planned!"

Giles raised his hands and black energy blasted out of them straight at Willow. "Damn it!" Xander shouted angrily and tried to rush Giles from behind with no luck. "Do something before he pushes her over the edge again!

Maybe try to have a little faith in your friend might help the situation!" Andrew barked back with fear in his voice.

Tara countered his action by placing a white bubble around Willow quickly. One millisecond more and she would have been too late. "You're not going to do this to her." Tara spoke in a calm voice as the two energies began to push each other back and forth in the middle of the room. It was like a dazzling white light show speckled with black light, which was slowly flickering out.

As Buffy sank to the floor in tears, no longer being able to be the strong one, Faith lifted her crossbow. Human or not, this guy had to go and she had taken another's life before so it would be better then Buffy having to do it. She let the arrow fly and it connected squarely in the back of Giles' head. Luckily, the man began to dissolve in a puddle of green liquid. "He was manufactured to fool you all." Tara said softly, knowing that the real Giles was dead. "I'm guessing he was killed during a battle before his arrival in Sunnydale.

Why didn't the first just take his form then?" Dawn asked as she moved to comfort her despondent sister.

"That would have been to easy," Tara explained as she removed Willow's bubble. "He took Mr. Giles' mental state and had someone create a creature of some sort that looked and acted human. The only problem is, nothing like that can last forever and he was probably starting to dissolve on his own. That's why he tried to hurry up and act out his final mission, which should have been completed before the final battle with the first.

What was his mission?" Xander asked as he looked at his broken friends. He felt his stomach tighten and a lump in his throat because he knew that he couldn't do a thing to help them now.

"The first needed Willow's body because of her great power. That's why it did all these things to her to try and break her down enough so that it could easily house itself within her and do a lot of damage." Tara said with a regret-filled look on her face. If she hadn't ran, hadn't pushed herself away from Willow, perhaps none of this would have happened the way that it did.

"If you're the Goddess, why would it need Willow? I mean you're the real powerful one." Andrew said and received glares from the occupants of the room who had enough composure to realize what was going on.

"You saw what Willow could do with her power Andrew." Tara said sternly. "Willow is the balance to my power, which makes her the special one. Every full power isn't complete unless it has at least touched both sides of the power. In order to keep me from actually going into the darkness, apparently, the powers decided to let me feel it through Willow. She has touched both sides of the power, which is why I was able to use her full power to help perform that spell rather than fully do it myself. I may be the earth Goddess, but Willow is the power source, the well, and the tree from which I draw strength. Because of her great power and the fact that she has touched both sides. I am guessing they did this to protect the real identity of the Goddess from the first.

Is this fair to Willow?" Dawn asked with an overwhelming sadness welling up inside her. Willow was forced to be the one to touch darkness, lost her Goddess title and possibly, the love of her life. Tara was the Goddess and got to stay pure and good. She also possibly had another chance at love.

"Willow is the guardian of the Goddess, they all have them. At least the ones who aren't full being-like Goddesses do. It's her job unfortunately for her." Tara finished her speech in a sad tone of voice and looked over at Willow, who was in tears." I told you long ago Willow that you were special. I just didn't know why." Tara placed a calming hand on Willow's cheek and then looked over at Buffy. She wanted to comfort and take their pain away but didn't know what to say or do. It was obvious that Buffy was hurting over Giles, her slayer powers and the obvious strong connection that remained with Willow. Willow, on the other hand, was devastated over the loss of Tara, Giles' death and the loss of her Goddess title.

Buffy looked bravely at Tara. She knew that if she lost the kind woman, it would tare her up on the inside. She also knew that if Willow lost the woman, it might kill her soul. "Tara, what about this slayer power deal?" Buffy asked in a weak effort to remain on the topic of the business at hand.

"Well," Tara looked at Buffy in deep thought. "You were the power source that centered around dealing out power to all the slayers. I'm afraid that when the first slayer told you that power wasn't enough, she truly meant it. Humility and love is what was needed, in that, do you love mankind enough to give it all up for the good of the world?

Of course I do, look how many times I have died for this world." Buffy stated more defensively then she had planned.

"That's why your powers are leaving but the problem was, they should have left at that moment. Therefore, we botched the spell by not taking all of your power and forcing you to fight with the scythe powerless. Also, we forgot to return the power to the current slayer in line. There was never supposed to be thousands of slayers running around, one girl, in all the world, chosen. This was supposed to be a quick fix to defeat the first, not a permanent fixture.

So that's where the bad Giles came in by not telling us this." Dawn concluded wearily. "Now Buffy's gift is giving up her powers and her reward is a normal life?

Exactly," Tara said with a half-sad, half-smile on her face. She knew that Buffy was tired and had been for a long time but didn't know if what she wanted was a normal life. She knew that she wanted it in some way but could she live it?

"I'm guessing that if we don't fix this," Faith looked at Tara and Buffy sternly." The power loss will trickle down to the rest of us and end the slayer line. That is what this fake Giles had planned?

That's my assumption," Tara moved over to Buffy and took her by the hands. "Let's see if my hunch is right." She squeezed Buffy's hands and instructed Buffy to squeeze hers. As the two did this, Tara felt no energy that contained super powers within Buffy anymore and knew that Buffy didn't feel it either.

"He was using what little power I had to stay alive." Buffy concluded softly with a look of fear on her face. She had always wanted a normal life and dreamt of it often. Now that she had it, what to do with it?

"What do we do about all these other slayers?" Faith asked briskly. She knew that if this weren't totally fixed, the problems could ruin the line and she was next. She wasn't ready for a normal life because frankly, the normal life was never good to her.

"We go back in time, add the clause that returns the full powers to the correct slayer and it's done." Willow said in a non-caring tone. Her world was shattered at this point, no matter what job she had been given. She didn't want to pretend to care or be happy anymore.

"Maybe there is another way," Dawn said thoughtfully as she stood up. "I think that we all need some rest and I'd like to have somewhat of a wedding night."

"I agree," Xander added and stood up to escort the newlyweds out of the hall. "Let's deal with this tomorrow.

Tara looked at Buffy and Willow with pained eyes. She cared deeply for Buffy and a big part of her was excited at the notion of Buffy getting to have a normal life with her. Another part of her however, was with Willow and there was no denying that now. Her heart ached for getting Buffy involved in her life in that fashion to begin with. Her heart also ached for Willow and what to do about their mixed up lives that always seemed to bring them back together.

Faith stood with the remaining three women. She didn't know fully what was on the go but knew that it was big. She could see the pain all over their faces and knew that it was something more than the power problems. She looked at each of them as if to ask, which of you is going to need my company? In turn, she received looks of utter confusion and sadness from the three of them. "Look, it's getting late. I dunno what's up here but if one of you needs an ear…"

Tara wanted to comfort Buffy for the loss of her slayer powers on a permanent basis. She also wanted to comfort Willow on being stripped of her Goddess title. She wanted to take Buffy in her arms and assure her that things were as they were before they came to the wedding but knew that she could not honestly do that. Most of all, she wanted to help them through the loss of Giles and this love life crisis that she had caused between the three of them. She didn't know what to do or which way to turn but knew that someone had to do something.

Someone did do something, Buffy turned towards Faith. "If you're not to tired, I think I could use a long walk. This is all so strange for me." Buffy gave Tara an understanding look but she didn't really understand. She knew that Tara and Willow had a great bond, one that could never be shattered. She also knew that she and Tara were forming a bond that would hopefully be as great as the one that she shared with Willow. She knew that Willow was in pain over her power loss the same as she was. She knew that Willow was aching over Giles and Tara the same as she was. She also knew that Tara was torn as to what to do and the only reason that she made the choice to go with Faith was to make the let down easier on Tara.

"Sure," Faith said and moved towards the door with Buffy following behind her. She glanced back and noticed that Buffy purposefully did not regard Tara in any way, shape or form. Frosty Buffy was alive and well, Faith thought with a grin.

The two walked in silence for a brief time and then Faith pointed to a park bench. "So whadaya say we sit here and you tell me what's up B?" Faith asked as she took a cigarette out of her jacket.

"It's been a long time since we've done this." Buffy said as she tried to remember when the last time that she and Faith shared a meaningful conversation was.

"Well, now that I have the chance to live a normal life, I don't know how Faith." Buffy's hands began to tremble as she spoke. She did not plan to really pour her heart out to the other slayer, but felt that it was going to happen. "This has been my calling for such a long time and now I feel as though I have no identity."

Buffy looked at Faith for understanding and knew that the slayer understood. Faith was the opposite of her, she lost her identity when she became a slayer because she never had the chance to be thee slayer. "I should be jumping off the roof tops and happy because I get to have a normal life but I'm not."

"Maybe it's all happening to fast B." Faith said and put her hand on the blonde's arm. She wasn't very good at comforting but was better at it with Buffy then anyone else. "I mean, we found this out about G-man and then the slayer thing all in one night. Maybe it's just a little much to take in all at once."

"I feel more alone now then I ever did as a slayer Faith." Buffy said softly, as she wiped her eyes. "I mean, here I was starting this relationship and now that's up in the air. It's all just so crazy and I don't want to be alone anymore."

Faith's face showed understanding in that she had figured out the other problem. "So, you were hooking up with Tara? Now she's all mixed up, or so you think, because she helped out Red back there?" Faith asked and lit another cigarette.

"Exactly," Buffy said and fanned Faith's cigarette smoke away from her. "You smoke to much Faith."

"You fall for people to easy B." Faith retorted dryly. "Look, for what it's worth, you're not alone. I get where you're coming from, even with the caring for someone deal.

Angel?" Buffy asked softly. She knew that there was an attraction there on Faith's part and realized that she was the one in the way of something happening there.

Faith laughed and tossed her cigarette away. "Fang? C'mon B, you can do better then that. There was nothin' on my part for fang cept to piss you off."

"Then who was it? Maybe you can give me some advice that I can relate to my situation and help clear my head if I know who it is." Buffy said in a desperate attempt to find some sanity in this mess.

"Let's just say that they were a special person who never noticed me. I probably wouldn't have let them notice me if they did back in those days but they didn't anyhow. So, I walked away and never tried to find out if that's what was for me. At least you're trying with Tara B and if she's for you, I wish you the best of luck. If she's not, I got lots of time to take long walks." Faith finished speaking and looked at Buffy who was relaxing a little more than earlier.

"I don't know if I should bother trying Faith. We've all been hurt enough, Tara, Willow, and me. It has to stop somewhere." The look on Buffy's face showed defeat, as she leaned against the slayer and began to cry.

Meanwhile, Tara and Willow were still at the hall that had been rented out for the wedding. Neither spoke for quite some time and then Willow looked pleadingly into Tara's eyes. "Tara," she began to speak in a trembling voice, which matched her trembling hands. "This is not a ploy to get you back but I can't be alone right now. I feels if my entire world is shattered. It's like everything that I held to, knew and treasured is being taken from me all at once. I feel like I want to just die Tara. I have no purpose, no life, no love and no magical duties anymore."

As the tears flowed from Willow's eyes, Tara pulled her into a soft but firm hug. "Of course I won't leave you alone Willow." She was being honest, she hadn't a hateful bone in her body and there was no way that she could leave either Willow or Buffy during a time of such grief.

"When I was performing that spell," Willow continued speaking in between sobs. "I thought of you and then felt you there. Kennedy told me later that I even said your name. No matter what happens to us Tara, we're connected beyond anything that most normal couples have."

Tara knew that Willow was speaking the truth and there was nothing that she could do about it. Even if she and Buffy worked through this together, that connection would always be there. Tara didn't know if Buffy would be able to live with that after what happened tonight. "I know that Willow," Tara said softly but the pain resonated clearly in her voice.

"Do you remember any of it, did you feel the connection? Why didn't you come to me with this news?" Willow fired off the questions in her classic babble-style, as the tears continued to flow.

"I didn't remember Willow." Tara replied honestly as she wiped the tears from Willow's cheeks. "I was having these horrible dreams and went to therapy for quite some time. I didn't start piecing things together until Buffy showed up not so long ago."

"Tara, do you still love me?" Willow asked with a look of utter devastation plastered on her face.

Tara took note of Willow's fragile state and knew that she couldn't lie. If she lied, it would make things easier for her but not Willow. She didn't have a bone cruel enough in her body to behave in such a manner. "Of course I will always love you Willow. That doesn't mean that I can go back to where we were." Tara forced the last words out in hopes that it wouldn't send Willow over the edge.

"I would never ask you to go back to that place Tara. I don't want this to turn into one of those conversations because there are so many other things in my head right now that I need to sort out. If I asked you anything though, it would be to go to another place. A new place that we could start over but I don't want to go there right now because if you told me know, I don't think I could live with it." Tara looked at Willow and knew that she was speaking from the heart. She also knew that she could not give Willow a true answer as to what she could or could not do in terms of a relationship with anyone. Her head was just as messed up as Willow's right now and she would not tread those waters at this time.

"It's best that we don't go there tonight Willow, for all of us. Buffy is involved in this too and I do have strong feelings for her. I didn't plan on that happening but it did."

"I know that Tara." Willow said as she tried to compose herself enough to speak like a rational adult. "I just don't know what to do with my life right now, if I even want to live it. I feel lower than I ever felt in my entire life minus the time that I thought you were dead."

"I know that Willow and I'm here to help you if I can." Tara finished wiping the tears from Willow's eyes and coaxed her to stand. "Let's go get some sleep Willow and then we can all try to clear our heads tomorrow. I won't leave you alone, I promise." Tara said and held on to the redhead as she shakily left the hall.

Tara sat on Dawn's small porch that next morning. Her head wasn't swimming as bad as the night before and she was glad. She knew that she had caused a lot of trouble for Buffy and Willow, thus had arrived at a decision. Her plan was to help fix the slayer problem and then walk away from both women. She knew that this could be called the coward's way out but she did not want to hurt either woman over the other.

Buffy and Willow had shared a deep bond and it was foolish of her to think that she could get involved with Buffy and not have Willow get hurt. Now that she had ventured into an involvement with Buffy, she couldn't expect Buffy to not get hurt if she picked Willow. She had made up her mind two days ago that she would remain with Buffy and a big part of her wanted to stick with that decision. There was another part of her that wanted to be with Willow and she could not deny that fact. She supposed that the part of her that wanted to be with Willow was the part that still dwelled in the past and the part that wanted Buffy was the part that wanted to live for the future.

No matter the reasons for her feelings, they couldn't be denied or ignored in fairness to the three women. Tara was not the type of person to ignore her feelings and certainly not the type to purposefully inflict pain on another person. She put her hands over her face and lowered her head in disgust at the pain she was causing the two women. "Hey T," Faith said and took a seat next to her. "I think I have the answer to your problems."

Tara looked up at the dark slayer with a look of disbelief. She didn't know Faith very well but, from what she'd heard, Faith was not into using communication. She also was not the best go to person when you needed a problem solved if her past track record was to be taken into consideration. "How do you figure that?" Tara asked in a weary voice.

"Well first of all, I know that you have a long history with Red. I know that you were starting a new history with B and that it hit a snag. Between the two of us," Faith looked at Tara for a confirmation that she would not repeat this conversation and got one with a smile from the pretty blonde. "I've had feelings for B for a long time. I screwed it all up when we were younger and now we could never be together. If B is with me, she will always be reminded of what she gave up and I can't do that to her. If she moves on with someone new, she gets a chance at that normal life that she used to whine about wanting so bad. She can start over fresh with you Tara and not have to be reminded of what she once was and who she was forced to become by whomever gives out the rules of how this all works."

Surprisingly, what Faith said made perfect sense to Tara. The problem was what to do about Willow and her feelings. "So do you have a handle on the Willow aspect of this?" Tara enquired with gaining interest in what Faith had to say.

Faith leaned back in her chair and smiled. "Sure I do or else I wouldn't have bothered to come out here. You're a meticulous kinda girl and won't leave anything unsolved from what I gather. So you and Red have this love for the ages and we all know it. The problem is that she damaged it severely by her brain lapses. So even if the two of you did hook back up and create some new memories, could you ever really forget all that crap? It was some heavy stuff from what I've heard and there is a chance that it would always be in the back of your head. Plus, with you, Willow would always be reminded of what she lost, same thing as B."

Tara pondered what the dark-haired slayer was saying and she had to admit that Faith had pegged the situation very well. These are the reasons that she had wanted to be with Buffy. In edition, Willow was displaying some of her old selfish characteristics when they first met up again. She only stopped acting like that when her world came crashing down with the loss of her supposed Goddess title and Giles' fate. "Is it fair to do this to Buffy Faith?" Tara asked with concern thick in her voice.

"B knows the situation Tara. She knows that seeing Red opened up some old wounds and deep feelings. She knew that you loved Red deeply when she got into this. She knows you enough to know that you would not get involved with her if you did not care for her also.

"I would never do that to her and I do hope that she knows that. I couldn't allow myself to get involved in a serious relationship for the longest time but it seemed easy to try it with her." Tara said thoughtfully. "I just don't want to hurt Willow because I do love her. I was honest with her though and told her that I was developing strong feelings for Buffy."

"Of course you were T," faith said and stood up. "Let's go inside and get some breakfast so that we can get this slayer problem out of the way. Then you can fix your love life problems and everyone can move on in the direction that they need to move in."

"Faith," Tara said quietly as she too stood up. "Thanks for the advice." She received a shrug from the slayer in the way of saying you're welcome, as they walked back inside.

After eating a virtually silent breakfast, the gang got ready to get the spell started. "D, you said that there might be another way."

"Well, if these two could modify the spell to where all current slayers powers are reduced slowly at a certain time, we can get the line restored. It would make sense to try it this way and not have to mess up a bunch of girls." Dawn was proud of her idea for two reasons. One, it would help the current slayers and the other was that Willow and Tara would get to work together. She thought that this might help bring back enough memories of what once was to aid them in their efforts of reconnecting.

"That would serve a better purpose than to just yank it away from all of them in a flash." Buffy agreed solemnly. Though she freaked when her powers began to diminish, she felt that it would have been better that way rather then waking up with nothing in a flash. "This way, we have time to prepare the girls that they can go on with their normal lives soon if they decide to get out of the fight for the good of mankind."

"I can fix the spell but I think that Tara should be the one to go back." Willow said in a frank tone. She had enough of botching up things to last her a lifetime and she didn't want to do it again.

"No," Tara said sternly. "We cannot tinker with the spell in any fashion. Willow also has to go back since she was the leader of the spell."

"I guess then if anyone has a problem with dealing with their power outage," Xander looked around the room thoughtfully. "We send them to Tara."

"I don't think it will happen in a split second." Tara added and gave Xander a funny look. "I think that we should take a couple of hours and warn the girls of what's coming."

"If they need to talk I can handle that part." Buffy said but didn't think many of them would need to talk. They embraced their calling but many resented it. She knew that had they been called at the proper time rather then like they were, it would have gone differently. Most of these girls were in college and starting their lives or to young to be taken from their families, which made her fairly certain that there wouldn't be many complainers.

"Faith wait," Tara said softly. "You and Willow will have to go back, she's going to need someone to watch over her projected form. I need to stay here and anchor her and Buffy can go with the others to make the calls."

Everyone sat down to dinner that evening. The consoling many happy and few sad slayers had taken most of the day while the actual time traveling took merely an hour. Everyone was tanked from the long day's events and ready to relax. There was other business at hand for Tara but she didn't know if she should do it tonight as Willow looked absolutely drained.

"So Red, you wanna go get some ice cream?" Faith asked having remembered that the girl loved ice cream as a stress reliever back in high school. She knew that what Tara needed to do was going to be hard and thought that she might try to help her out.

"That sounds good actually." Willow said with a slightly disappointed look on her face. She had wished Tara was the one asking but was glad that someone thought enough of what she had to do to ask. "Let me just get freshened up a bit and then we can go."

As the room cleared, Tara looked over at Buffy. "Faith and I had a talk this morning." Tara began with a hint of nervousness in her voice. "There are some things that I would like us to discuss but if you want to wait…"

"No," Buffy said quickly. "Let's get this out so that we know where each other stands. It's driving me crazy here Tara but I'm trying hard to respect your feelings." Buffy folded her hands on her lap and prayed that she didn't come across as to harsh.

"I think that it's driving us all crazy Buffy." Tara said with a look of sadness creasing her features. "I love Willow dearly and I think that you know that Buffy."

Buffy steeled herself for what she knew was coming. She wouldn't show Tara her hurt and disappointment because this had to be hard enough on the kind woman. Buffy had told her before that she would not do anything to purposefully hurt her and she meant it. "Of course Tara," she said softly. "You have a big heart that is so kind to others and that is why I grew attracted to you. I wouldn't believe that you were the real Tara Maclay if you were able to get Willow totally out of your heart. My question is if you do not choose Willow, will you have room to fully love another?"

Willow and Faith finished their ice-cream in virtual silence, which was fine with the slayer. She was never much for being a conversationalist and had more then her share of them in the last couple of days. She knew that what Tara had to do was going to be hard however, and she wanted to help the woman. She had always had a deep attraction for Buffy but was resigned to the notion that that was never going to come to pass. There was another person that she found intriguing however, and that was Willow. Being the opportunist that she was, she knew that if she played her cards right, the possibility of her getting a shot with Willow might work.

"Red, I know that you are having some major problems with this Tara situation and it really has to suck." Faith decided to put something on the table to see where Willow went with it before proceeding.

"She is the love of my life Faith." Willow said simply, as she wondered if Buffy had sent the slayer to poke around and see what she could dig up.

"I can see that Red," Faith said with a smug look on her face. "I can also see something else though." The slayer noticed a hint of interest in Willow's eyes so continued. "She brings out the possessive side of you. The side of you that doesn't care what it does to get what it wants. That's what busted the two of you up to begin with and it's not healthy. She saw it too Red and there is a big chance that she cannot get over those things. If the two of you hook back up, that wondering as to what you will do next is gonna be there for a long time to come. Plus, you have come so far in your healing Red. Do you really want to go backwards because that is where you are headed because of your obsession with Tara."

Willow's eyes flashed with anger and she slammed her fist on the table hard. "I'm not obsessed with her Faith! I love her with everything inside of me!"

"Look how angry you're getting Red. If you can't have your way with Tara, that's what you do and you damn well know it!" Faith bit back with a firmness in her voice that showed Willow that she was not afraid of her.

Willow's eyes suddenly flickered as if she had hit a big realization. Had she wanted to frighten the slayer into seeing things her way by her quick outburst? Had she wanted Faith to think she was going to pull some sort of magic tricks if she did not back off and see it her way? Is this what she was doing to Tara? "Oh Goddess," Willow said softly as the tears began to flood down her cheeks. "You're right Faith. I love Tara so much that I am willing to do whatever it takes to get her back in my life. I know that it's wrong and I don't want to do it but I can't help myself.

"She knows that you love her Red and she does love you. I just don't think she is willing to go back to where you are still living, the past." Faith stood up from the table and took hold of Willow's hands. "You and she both need to go to the future and if it brings you back together someday, that's great. If it doesn't, you had a very special love and didn't further taint it by selfish actions.

"I can't go back to Kennedy Faith. She is not the one who can help me get through truly losing Tara. If she were, I wouldn't be in this place doing what I'm doing right now." Willow said, as the tears continued to fall down her face. "I have to talk to Tara." She jumped up from the table and ran out, as Faith sat sipping her drink in wonderment of what was to come.

Buffy sat nervously and awaited Tara's response to her enquiry. She hoped that it didn't come across as though she were asking too much. She understood that Tara loved Willow dearly and always would. Though she wanted badly to give a relationship a try with Tara, she needed to know that her heart had a real chance of not being broken again. She had gone through so much since her calling that she didn't want to be fooled into thinking she could have a fair chance if she did not. She knew that relationships were a gamble to begin with, but it would not be very smart to walk into something that you knew there was no chance in winning.

Tara looked at the slayer warmly, "Buffy, this is very hard for me but I had feelings for you before I ran into Willow again. I would never attempt to get into a relationship with anyone if I didn't feel that I could find a place in my heart for them. This is why you are the first person, since Willow, that I have even entertained the thought of moving on with." Tara hugged the slayer and then moved away. "I can't get involved in anything until I've talked with her though."

"Of course not Tara," Buffy stated with a horrified look on her face. No matter what, she too cared for Willow and would not venture to that place before this was entirely resolved. "I just want you to make sure of what it is that you want Tara. For your own sanity, as well as mine. I understand that your feelings for Willow run deep and always will. I just need to know if I need to move on or if we do have a shot." Buffy's face displayed understanding and compassion as she spoke.

"I understand how you feel Buffy. You have every right to be hesitant and it's going to be my job to assure you that we can make it." Tara said and turned to leave. "I will be back very soon."

A short time later, Tara walked up to Willow who was sitting in the back yard of the complex. She ached for what she was about to do and it showed clearly in her eyes. She never thought this day would have to come again and prayed that it would not push Willow over the edge. She was surprised when Willow stood up and took her by the hands. "Tara don't do this. You are the most precious thing that has ever walked into my life and I can't watch you go through this agony again. I have put you through so much over the years and it's time that I stood up and shouldered the blame. I would do absolutely anything in this world to have you back at my side and that is why I am going to walk away. It's killing me on the inside but I understand now that I have to do this rather than make you do it. I've done too much damage to your heart already and am so sorry that I could not put it back together. I will give you my blessing to allow someone else to put it back together without a fight." With tears streaming down her face, Willow placed a kiss on Tara's cheek and walked away from the complex for the last time.

As Tara stood there with a shocked look on her face, Faith walked up to her. "You're free Tara," the slayer said softly.

Tara looked up at Faith and understood the meaning behind her words. "Thanks for whatever you did. You have helped me so much and Willow too, I hope." The concern for Willow was evident on Tara's face.

"I'll look after her for ya Tara." Faith said with a shrug and left the complex.

Two months later, Buffy and Tara sat relaxing in the home that they now shared. Buffy was coming along nicely with no slayer powers and Tara had resumed her work with herbs and the like. The two had started up their relationship one week after the Willow ordeal was over; both wanting tome time to lapse before they jumped into things. They had gone out several times and had many long talks. The thing that they had not done however, was be fully intimate with each other. Buffy had wanted Tara to have plenty of time to heal from the most recent drama-fest before she took such a big step.

As they relaxed on the sofa after dinner, Tara leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her lover's lips. "Buffy, I want to thank you for being so understanding and helping me through all of that crap."

"You've repaid the favor and then some Tara." Buffy said with a big smile on her face. "You have been there every step of the way with this slayer thing and that means a lot to me. I'd say that we're almost even." Buffy said and blinked her eyes mischievously at the blonde.

"Almost?" Tara laughed and hugged the former slayer. "Buffy, I'm very happy that I was able to find the strength within me to make the decision that I made. I can honestly tell you that you have a big place in my heart and that I care for you very deeply."

Buffy's smile widened upon hearing the words That Tara spoke. She had hoped to hear the someday but a small part of her feared that she never would. "I care very much for you also Tara." Buffy said and pulled Tara into a firm embrace. She then placed gentle kisses on her lips and smiled inwardly for the first time since they ran into Willow.

"I think that I'm ready to take our relationship to the next step Buffy." Tara said with a small blush on her face. "That is, if you are ready."

"Oh I'm more then ready Tara." Buffy said as she stood up, took Tara's hand and lead her into their bedroom so that they could consummate their relationship.

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Homecoming

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