Unexpected Perspective

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy, Willow, etc..., that's Whedon's dumb luck.

Distribution: http://mysticmuse.net

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Spoilers: 

Spoilers: Fifth season.

Feedback: Yes, please. The more the better.

Pairing: Willow/Tara

"...and you'll know you can fight with the world ending."

He was wrong, you know.

Giles.

We always looked to him for advice, because he was the smartest among us. He still is, I guess. But let's face it, even Giles doesn't know everything.

Okay, so maybe the world hasn't actually come to an end. Not yet, anyway. But it's damn sure a whole lot closer than I ever expected it to get.

Glory knows who the Key is now. We were lucky to get Dawn away from her the last time, and we all know she won't stop until she gets what she's after. I mean, she's a god after all.

That's why we're on the run.

Spike, of all people, is helping us. We're hiding out in an RV. I don't know where we're going, exactly. Or what we're going to do when we get there, wherever there is.

Giles was pretty badly hurt. And it wasn't even Glory or her hobbits with leprosy, as Xander likes to call them. It was those other guys, the Knights of Byzantium or whatever. They attacked us 'cause they want Dawn too, but her sister wasn't about to let her go without a fight.

Dawn is getting more and more withdrawn every day, and it worries me. She's blaming herself for everything, for Glory and for the Knights, because they're all after her.

Xander, to his credit, is dealing pretty well. But then again, he always has, ever since we were kids. And Anya, well, she's just Anya. I don't know what else to say.

As for Buffy...she's trying her best to hold herself, and all of us, together. Right now she's doing a pretty good job, but it's not going to last. It never does. And she knows it too.

Back to the world.

Like I said, it hasn't ended yet. But it might as well have. My world, my everything, has been so turned upside-down in the last couple of days I can hardly keep it all straight. Buffy can handle Glory, I know that, and she will find a way to help Dawn, but I don't know what I'm going to do without Tara.

She's with me right now, in body at least. We're in a sleeping bag, on the floor of the RV. She's spooned up against me, one arm draped limply over me, and I welcome her touch even in sleep. But while she's so close I could roll over and kiss her, I know she's never been further away.

Tara and I had a fight...oh goddess, why did that have to be the last thing we said to one another? I stormed off,

I don't know why, and that's when it happened. Glory. Somehow she got it in her head that Tara was the Key, and when she came after her there was nothing Tara could do to stop her. Once Glory realized that Tara's was not, in fact, the Key...no, I can't even bring myself to think about what Glory did. It makes me so...my girlfriend, sweet, wonderful Tara, was violated by that hellbitch.

Tara's mind is all scrambled now. I can see her from time to time, trying to put her jumbled thoughts in order, but what comes out of her mouth is rarely anything but gibberish. Some times she rhymes, others she may start to giggle for no explainable reason. But the worst, what really hurts me the most to watch, is when Tara herself realizes her words are making no sense. She starts to shake, she cries and she moans and she calls for me, and I can only hold her close and whisper everything is going to be all right.

I just wish I knew. I wish I could be certain.

Damn it, I'm starting to cry now. I promised myself I wouldn't do this anymore. I have to be strong, for Tara. I need to get out of here for a while, before I wake Tara up. Night seems to be the only time she is really at ease, as if sleep brings her a sense of peace, and I don't want to take that from her.

I'll get back to this later.

Willow Rosenberg closed her journal, and slid it under her pillow for safe-keeping. She wasn't actually afraid anyone would steal it, that was just an old habit. She paused a moment, to gently caress Tara's cheek, then stood and made her way carefully down the length of the RV.

Buffy and Dawn lay together on one side, and were sound asleep--though Willow knew Buffy's Slayer senses would awaken her at a moment's notice if it proved necessary. Xander and Anya had their limbs intertwined and were also out of it. Giles, all bandaged and battered, slept fitfully on the bed.

Willow was still wiping her eyes as she stepped outside, careful to close the door behind her so it didn't make too much noise. Sighing, she took a deep breath, fully expecting to take in some fresh air--but instead, began to cough as her lungs were filled with cigarette smoke.

"Nice night, isn't it?"

"Well, it was." Willow waved her hand in front of her face. "That's a nasty habit."

"Yeah." Spike, who was sitting atop the RV, chuckled. "It'll probably kill me one of these days."

Willow smiled in spite of herself.

"So, what brings you out here at this hour, Red? I thought you humans needed your beauty sleep?"

"I don't feel much like sleeping right now." Willow wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly cold. "Spike, if I asked you a question, would you answer it truthfully?"

The vampire shrugged his shoulders. "Try me."

"It's about...Drusilla."

Spike's eyes narrowed, and his brow began to furrow. "Tread carefully, Red."

Willow knew Spike couldn't actually hurt her even if he wanted to, thanks to the chip in his head. But she took his warning seriously nonetheless. "When she...I mean, when you first met her she was already crazy, right? And for all the, what, decades, you were going out?"

"Yeah," said Spike. "Say what you will about Angelus, the bloody poof knew things about pain and torture I still don't understand. The things he did left Dru certifiable." He spit out the cigarette and reached for another. "Why the sudden interest in Dru? No, let me guess." He lit it, but didn't smoke it. Instead, he ground it out on the roof of the RV, and looked down at Willow. "You're worried about your other half?"

Willow nodded. "I'm scared, Spike. What if I never get her back?" She wasn't going to allow herself to cry, not in front of Spike at least. "I need her. I need her more than I've needed anyone."

"I can tell. I see it every time you look at her. I know a little something about pain, don't forget." He leaped off the top of the RV and landed effortlessly beside her. "I'm only going to say this once, so listen closely. She will get better. Wanna know how I know? She's human. You take what comes, and you roll with it. Now, us vampires, we don't have that luxury. We're pretty much dead, inside and out. Humans adapt. You grow and change. We stay more or less the same for eternity. That's why Dru was...is..."

"...nutty as a fruitcake?" Willow offered.

Spike sneered. "Cute. Just don't let it get you down, Red. Sooner or later your chippie's gonna get the ol' spark back in her eyes, and you two will start being all lovey-dovey again."

"You really believe that?" Willow asked.

Spike looked her right in the eye. "Don't you?"

"I..." Willow felt her tears dwindling. She actually felt better. She was shocked. "Thank you, Spike."

"Don't mention it," the vampire growled. "Ever. To anyone." He climbed back up to the top of the RV, and took out another cigarette as he returned to his vigil.

Willow stared at him for a moment, then went back into the RV. She slid into the sleeping bag and spooned up behind Tara, who stirred but did not awaken. The redhead put her arms around her lover and kissed her gently on the cheek. "I love you, Tara."

Tara's eyelids fluttered, though she remained unconscious. "I love you too."

The End

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