Sweet dreams, Jen, here's the next part.
“Mission Statement” Episode 1.7 “Visiting Rights”Disclaimer: JW, ME, blah blah. You owned them, you screwed up, my turn, later.
Rating: M15 Adult themes, violence, moderate Kitten angst, sexual references.
Update: Tara has returned as a vampire, though her love for Willow endures. Previously masquerading as a bot, her secret was laid bare when a gang of vampires attempted to kidnap her and Willow. Tara was shot in the attempt but will recover. Willow was exposed to the horror of seeing her lover shot in front of her eyes for a second time. She is recovering at Buffy’s house. Tara rested at Xander’s house overnight after the attack, where she learned something very interesting about Xander – he’s gay.
Just after sunset, Tara made ready to leave Xander’s. The vampire still felt a little stiff, but the bullet wound in her chest was healing rapidly. She had showered and washed her clothes earlier in the day. Her shirt looked passable, apart from the bullet hole. In some circles, such things are considered fashionable, she decided. The bullet itself had turned up inside the lining of her leather coat. Tara could feel another area of soreness and stiffness next to one shoulder blade where there must be an exit wound, but it was in an awkward spot that the vampire couldn’t herself see. Xander had left for work shortly after sunrise and had not returned. Tara guessed that he had made good his promise to meet Anya that evening and come out to her.
Guitar case in hand, Tara hesitated at Xander’s threshold. She noticed the wooden trunk next to the door and, on a whim, opened it. As she had expected, it contained a selection of weapons, mostly swords, stakes and short-bladed axes. Tara shrugged, took a wooden stake with her and set off, letting the door lock behind her.
The Sunnydale streets were already becoming quiet as people instinctively took themselves indoors, or kept to the busier and safer parts of town. Unconcerned, Tara took the most direct route to Buffy’s even though it took her along quite a few dark and deserted streets.
The vampire heard the sounds of fighting before she saw what was happening. There were snarls and the sounds of kicks and punches. Tara quickened her pace. As she rounded a corner, she spotted Buffy engaged with three vampires. The Slayer must have been out on an early patrol, Tara realised, which was odd given the big battle of the night before. Suddenly, Tara noticed a fourth vamp emerge from a dark doorway, about to jump Buffy, who was already hard-pressed by the other three. Tara put her case down, whipped out her stake and leapt to the counter-attack.
She caught the vampire unaware, tackling it to the ground and staking it in a single movement. One of the other vampires was momentarily distracted by her arrival, and Buffy used this to give it a savage kick that sent it tumbling. Tara rolled to her feet and staked it as well. The other two vampires, suddenly finding the odds evened, looked at one another and tried to run. Buffy got one in the back; the other managed to duck down a narrow alley and over a fence to safety. “You belong to us. The One wants you,” it snarled at Tara as it ran.
Buffy took a couple of deep breaths and looked suspiciously at Tara. “And what would you be doing here?” she eventually asked.
Tara answered, “I’m on my way to see Willow. I thought you needed help. Someone to watch your back.”
“Sure you don’t mean my neck?” Buffy sneered.
“Why are you riding me?” Tara demanded.
“Because I don’t trust you. You’re a vampire. Oh, I’m sorry, was that an offensive term? Should I say ‘undead American’?”
“You have to trust someone. Sometimes, you can’t do things on your own. Maybe you’re not as strong as you think.”
“Think you can take me?” Buffy challenged.
“What?”
“Oh, c’mon! I mean, you must have thought about it. What would happen if it ever came down to a fight, you as a vampire, me as the Slayer. Willow wondered when she was on the magic, you must’ve wondered too. Well, why don’t we find out?”
“I’m not going to fight you, no matter how obnoxiously you behave.”
“Come on! Kick my ass!” Buffy grated, ready for it.
“No!” Tara said emphatically, though the offer was incredibly tempting and was probably the most sensible thing Buffy had said since finding out about Tara’s vampire nature. “What’s the matter with you Buffy? Is it that Willow and I pulled one over on you for a few weeks? Is your Slayer pride hurt? Are you sore at Dawn? Or are you mistaking me for another blonde vampire you’ve got issues with?”
“I know what you are.”
“Do you? You think I’m just a demon, right? You have no idea – what I am,” Tara pinned Buffy with her steeliest look. “Now, I’m going to visit Willow, who happens to live at your house. She wants to see me, and I expect you to respect that. If I was going to hurt you or Dawn, I would have done it long ago, don’t you think?”
Buffy nodded, grudgingly. “I guess.”
“Buffy, have you forgotten putting your head in my lap and crying, begging me not to forgive you?” Tara persisted, trying to break through Buffy’s hostility. “It wasn’t that long ago, remember? You cried hot tears of shame, and I held that stupid, obstinate head of yours in my hands, and you know what I did?” Buffy shook her head. “I forgave you anyway.”
“Why?” the Slayer asked, swallowing, blushing with the memory of it.
“Because it was what you needed, not what you thought you wanted. Good luck on the rest of your patrol tonight, Buffy. I’ll see you later,” Tara concluded, hefting her case and walking off into the night. She whispered, too quietly for Buffy to hear, “You have no idea what I am, and for that matter, neither do I – yet.”
The Slayer watched the departing leather-clad back of the vampire. Tara never walked with so much confidence, Buffy thought, even in daylight. Eventually, Buffy turned and walked away. She continued her sweep, but when she reached a better-lit part of town where there were people out on the streets, the Slayer stopped at a public telephone. She took an oddly coloured card out of her pocket and popped it into the slot. She dialed a short number.
“Please leave your message,” the synthesised voice said in Buffy’s ear.
“It’s Buffy. Call me, it’s about Willow,” Buffy said simply, and hung up.
(To be continued)
Hee... that was funny. 
I don't think the show would ever go down that road, but it works here. I like that Tara was the first person he told. Kinda makes their bonding more real. Did that make sense?
Ok, THAT came out of nowhere for me, but it was bloody hilarious and I loved it! Especially this line:
: -->
about the bot being more and more like 
. And finally, he gets to mourn tara's death and his own feelings of guilt about what happened. If he was going to open up to anybody about himself, it would always be Tara first, just like everyone else does.
YAY!!! Can't wait. Thanks, B. 
Whaddya mean TOO?? Who else is...? You DO mean in this fic...? What the - you mean...no - You mean 
, B. 
Can't wait. 
Thanks, B.
Mmmm! YUM! 
