Together Forever
By Rachel McCann
Email: WillowBabbles@aol.com
Rating 15 for mild swearing, some romance and sex
Disclaimer: Blah, Joss Whedon and Mutant enemy own all the Buffy cast, lucky lot. I just dabble and write about it for fun only.
Summary: Set after Him, Tara mysteriously appears in town, following a storm. She is the shy sweet and innocent Tara we met in season four, Can Willow win her heart and deal with having her back.
Pairings. Tara/Willow, Buffy/Faith, Dawn/Kit
Spoilers: S7, Before Bring on The Night totally AU, mostly romance in this story.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse.
Chapter One
Buffy Summers loved the smell of the air following a storm, the clean cool air; everything felt so calm and peaceful. It had been raining pretty hard and there were little puddles of rain everywhere, this was the best time to get out of the house. Dawn was helping Willow with settling in, now that she and the wiccan had patched up their friendship.
It was nice to have Willow back, she was pretty nervous about using magic following her brush with the darkness a few months ago. Willow still seemed pretty distant though, lost in sadness over the death of her girlfriend Tara.
Buffy too missed the shy blonde wiccan, Dawn too possibly even more so as she was the one that found Tara’s body in the house. Willow of course felt the loss badly; Tara was her soulmate, her one true love. Willow was devastated at losing her, the rage and grief she suffered nearly ended the world, it cost Warren and Rack their lives.
Willow had paid dearly though, loss of her innocence, she had spent three months in England recovering from her abuse of the dark magic. Buffy missed the old fun Willow she loved since moving to Sunnydale many years ago. She hoped in time that that same Willow would come back to them, and her family could be made whole again. Although without her mom and Tara it never could really.
The storm had been pretty spectacular with an incredible display of lightning like nothing they had ever seen before. There were reports of several strikes in the town center and a few near the UCL Sunnydale campus. Buffy had decided to go for a walk and maybe check them out just for interest; at least this was just a display of nature and not some demon attack.
Buffy reached the main high street, she could see that pretty much everything was as normal; people were busy shopping and enjoying the cool morning air. She paused at the ruins of the old magic shop that Willow had destroyed several months ago.
“That’s some mess you made Willow.” Buffy said to herself.
She started to turn to walk away when she felt someone behind her, it was probably someone who had come to buy something but had just seen the danger signs outside the building.
“Um excuse me sorry to bother you, d d do you know if there is another magic shop near here.” A girl’s voice said.
Buffy froze in shock as she had heard that voice before, a soft voice, sweet and gentle. A voice from the past a ghost even. She turned around to see a blonde girl standing there, her soft blue eyes looking at her. Buffy shook her head and looked again, she stared open mouthed at her for a moment.
“Oh my god.” Buffy said.
The girl looked confused and even a little hurt, which of course was just so much like a certain blonde wiccan she knew. “I’m sorry?” She said softly.
Buffy reached out and touched the girls arm, it was solid, real and warm to the touch. “Oh god Tara?”
“H h h how do you know my name?” She asked her. “Sorry I I I don’t t think we’ve met before.” She said stuttering.
Buffy couldn’t believe it, it was Tara, although she looked a little younger that when she last saw her, the hair the face, so full of innocence. She looked in her late teens, and by the clothing she looked so much like the Tara she had first met back at Giles place when she was in Faith’s body.
This couldn’t be, Tara was dead she died four months ago, shot dead by Warren Meers, but here she was standing there. She could see the worry in the young blonde girl’s face, so Buffy relaxed a little.
“Sorry, your name is Tara Maclay isn’t it?” Buffy asked the blonde girl.
Tara looked surprised. “Y y yes it is, h h how do you know?”
“Because I know you, you were my friend, and my best friend’s girlfriend.” Buffy said, instantly regretting that.
“I I I have a boyfriend?” Tara looked completely shocked and surprised. “Oh god.”
Buffy quickly shook her head. “Oh god no, sorry my best friend is a girl.”
Tara looked a little relieved at knowing she had a girlfriend, she still felt surprised though. “I don’t believe it.” She said.
“God Tara, I am so sorry, it’s just this is so weird, I mean seeing you like this alive.” Buffy said, seeing the horrified look on the young girl’s face she mentally kicked herself for saying too much.
“A a a alive?” The blonde said, suddenly bursting into tears. “No, no, this is not real, oh god what is happening.”
Buffy quickly pulled Tara into her arms to try and comfort the stricken girl; she was obliviously terrified and completely confused at what was going on. “Sorry I am so sorry Tara.” Buffy apologized.
“What is going on?” Tara said, her face buried in Buffy’s hair. “Please tell me what is happening to me; this is just been the strangest day.”
Buffy looked into the young woman’s eyes, although she had no real idea if this was Tara, she looked, felt and sounded so much like her, and there was here blue eyes, and she had that look that told Buffy in her heart this was really Tara Maclay.
“Tara?” She said. “Come with me, I’ll get you a mint mocha, I know you like them.”
Tara managed a little half smile. “You really do know me.”
“Everything’s going to be ok Tara, I promise.” Buffy reassured the pretty young blonde. Inside Buffy was just as scared as the Tara, first of all there was how was she here alive, but the scariest thing of all was how to tell Willow that Tara was in Sunnydale alive and well.
Buffy sat the blonde wiccan down and went off to order two mint mocha’s from the expresso pump. She returned a few moments later and set the hot cup in front of Tara.
“Thank you.” Tara smiled.
“You’re welcome.” Buffy said returning the smile. “Still the same Tara alright, polite and so sweet natured.” She thought to herself.
Tara took a little sip of her mocha and set the cup down on the table, she shuffled her feet nervously. Buffy reached out and put a steadying hand on the wiccans sleeve.
“Tara, first things first, I’m Buffy, Buffy Summers.” She told her.
“Hi Buffy.” Tara gave her a gentle smile.
“I have to ask, but have you always lived in Sunnydale?” Buffy asked her.
Tara shook her head. “No, I I I moved here a few months ago, I got a scholarship at the college. But something is wrong, I I don’t understand what happened to me this morning.”
Buffy looked concerned. “What you mean?”
“I woke up in the middle of the storm, and then there was a big flash and a loud bang and I found myself lying outside.” Tara told her. “I I I don’t understand but everything is different.”
Buffy was confused now. “How do you mean different?”
Tara looked sad for a moment and perhaps a little scared too. “I I...” She started to say but stopped.
“Tara please tell me?” Buffy asked.
“You wouldn’t believe me, it’s a little crazy.” Tara said shyly.
Buffy gave her a smile. “Believe me, crazy is normal for me.” She said shrugging her shoulders. “Tara, it will be ok, please just tell me.”
Tara looked at the floor for a moment then turned back to Buffy. “I think I am in another reality, a parallel world.”
“Why do you think that?” Buffy asked.
“The magic shop destroyed, but yesterday it was all ok, the date, it’s October 2002, but I now I was in 1999 it was November.” Tara paused as she felt a few tears running down her cheeks. “I feel so lost Buffy.”
Buffy looked at her for a moment, she could tell that Tara was telling her the truth as far as she knew. Tara was still crying a little, and the fear in her eyes was obvious.
“Buffy can you please tell me why you said I was alive?” Tara said. “Does that mean I died here?”
Buffy swallowed and looked nervous. “Tara, you’ve had enough to deal with already ok?”
“Please tell me, I I I have to know.” Tara pleaded with her.
Buffy nodded. “You died several months ago, a guy shot you and you died in front of your girlfriend. Sorry I mean our Tara, not you.”
“Girlfriend, I didn’t think any girl would ever like me.” Tara whispered quietly. “I’m such a dork.”
Buffy reached out and rested her hand on top of Tara’s arm. “Believe me Tara, you were very much loved.” Buffy paused a moment. “God we miss you so much, Dawn and...”
“Dawn? Is that my girlfriend?” Tara interrupted her. “Sorry.”
Buffy shook her head. “No, Dawn is my sister, she adored you, and you were good friends.”
“What’s my girlfriend’s name?” Tara asked her.
Buffy smiled. “Willow, Willow Rosenberg.” She waited to see if there was any recognition in the Tara’s eyes, but there was nothing at all. Buffy felt a little sad. “Poor Will, she doesn’t even know you.” She thought to herself.
“Pretty name.” Tara said. “I I I just didn’t think I would ever find someone.”
“You will.” Buffy said smiling, but the smile soon faded as she thought about Willow, how could she explain to her that she had found Tara alive, but that she didn’t know Willow or had ever known her. “Oh god.” She said.
Unfortunately this alarmed the blonde girl, and she looked down at her coffee, a few strands of blonde hair falling down covering her face. “I I I don’t belong here do I?” She said softly. “I I can’t get home can I.”
“Do you want to?” Buffy asked her. She remembered the family that her Tara had come from, the nightmare people that they were.
“I I I don’t know, I I mean I feel alone there too.” She said stuttering nervously. “My family they h h hate me.”
Buffy smiled reassuringly at her. “Tara, if you don’t want to go, I know for a fact there are several people who will welcome you with very open arms.”
Tara looked up with a little hope in her pretty blue eyes. “R really?”
Buffy gave her a warm smile. “Totally, I promise, there’s me, Dawn and Xander, and of course Willow, Tara in our world, you were loved so much, god to see you here alive and well makes me think that perhaps the universe isn’t so bad after all.”
Tara returned the smile. “But your Tara is dead.”
Buffy nodded. “I know, but you’re alive and so much like her, in fact you are exactly as I remember a few years ago, just before Willow told me you two were a couple.”
“Were they close?” Tara asked.
“Very.” Buffy said. “When Tara, you know our Tara died, Willow was devastated, she missed her so much, she still does.”
“Then seeing me could hurt her more.” Tara said. “I would remind her of what she lost. I I I mean I’m not her Tara, I’m me.”
“I know.” Buffy said sadly. She didn’t know what to say to that, Willow would be overjoyed to see Tara alive, but it would hurt her badly knowing that this Tara didn’t love her or even know her. It could tip the recovering Wiccan over the edge again, but in another way it could help her, and perhaps this Tara might feel the same way and fall in love with her. “Fire bad, tree pretty.” Buffy said out loud.
“Sorry?” Tara said confused.
“Nothing sorry, it’s just all this is a lot to deal with.” Buffy said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her purse, she removed a photo from and placed it on the table. It showed her, Willow and Xander all together.
“Is that Willow?” Tara asked her pointing to the smiling redhead.
Buffy nodded. “Yes.”
“S s s she’s very beautiful.” Tara said, tracing the outlines of Willow’s face, the delicate cheekbones and soft skin, her beautiful green eyes. “She really liked a girl like me?”
“Adored.” Buffy grinned, she remembered the loving looks on her best friends face whenever Tara was around. “She loved you, well Tara more than anything, my god you’re 20th birthday was so amazing, and you two looked so sweet.”
Tara began to feel nervous again and she looked away, she hated to think of her 20th Birthday, it meant the demon side could emerge and she couldn’t think any one would ever love her. Buffy could tell what was on the girls mind so she smiled and took her hand.
“Tara, one thing you need to know.” Buffy said. “You’re no demon, it’s a lie told to you by your family.”
Tara’s eyes widened. “How d d do you know that?”
“Tara it’s a lie, it was told to you by your family, Tara I mean the girl we knew she thought she was a demon. Tara you have to believe me, your human there is no demon in you.”
“B b but my family told me that, they said my magic comes from the demon within?” Tara said shaking. “It’s really all a lie?”
“Tara I think your family told you that to keep you under their control.” Buffy told her.
“I’m not a demon?”
Buffy shook her head. “No you’re not a demon, so please push that thought out of your mind ok? See Tara we know who you are and your reaction proves to me that you are really Tara Maclay.” She paused for a moment. “Come on Tara, I want to introduce you to my friends.
“What about Willow?” Tara asked.
“I’ll phone ahead, tell them to keep her away for a moment, then I can talk to her.” Buffy said taking out her telephone.
Later back at Buffy’s house
Dawn was out with her friend Kit, although lately Buffy and begin to suspect that Kit and Dawn where more than friends, the pretty goth girl had certainly taken a liking to Dawn, and Dawn really enjoyed her company.
Buffy had talked Xander to taking Willow out shopping for a while, then drop her back in an hour or so, he wanted to know why, but Buffy said that she would tell him soon, but she need to speak to Willow first.
Buffy had taken Tara up to her room for the moment, brought the wiccan a glass of water and told her to rest a while. Tara was still nervous though, but not as nervous as Buffy who now had to explain to her best friend that Tara was alive, but it wasn’t the same Tara she had known.
Buffy told her to rest a while, and she made up her bed and had placed a blanket over her to keep her warm. She made her way downstairs and prepared herself for the most difficult conversation in her life.
The door opened and Willow walked in, she was wearing her hair loose around her shoulders. She had a couple of bags of shopping with her, she set them down and saw Buffy sitting on the couch.
“Hey Buffy.” Willow greeted her.
“Hi Willow.” Buffy said.
Willow could tell that something was going on by the expression on Buffy’s face, she looked terrified. Willow came over and sat down on the couch next to her. “Buffy are you ok?”
Buffy swallowed nervously, she looked towards the stairs and then back at Willow. “It’s been a really weird day.” Buffy told her, which is certainly no lie.
“Are you ok?” Willow asked her again.
Buffy took a deep breath. “Willow, there is something I have to tell you.”
“Oh god, not Spike again?” Willow said.
“No god no, nothing to do with him.” Buffy said. “It’s more about you than anything.”
“Oh god.” Willow started to panic.
Buffy stood up and then knelt down in front of her best friend; she reached out and stroked the redhead’s soft hair. “Willow, you remember that storm this morning?”
Willow still looked nervous. “Yes I do.”
“Well I think it was no natural storm, I think it did something and I think it opened a door to another reality.” Buffy began to tell her. “And someone come through that door.”
“Oh god, not Glory again.” Willow said, her eyes widening. “Or some other evil, oh god not an evil me again.”
Buffy shook her head. “No, nothing evil came through; it was a person, a girl.”
“Who?” Willow asked her.
“Willow, she’s about 19 years old, you know her, but Willow and please Willow you have to understand this girl has never met you. She comes from a world in which you two don’t know each other.”
“What are you saying Buffy, who is it?” Willow was beginning to shake; she had a feeling in her gut that wouldn’t go away.
“Willow please, she comes from another reality and it appears a little in the past too, before you two knew each other.” Buffy said.
“Oh my god, Tara?” Willow instantly knew who she was talking about. “Tara.”
“It’s Tara.” Buffy said. “Willow she’s frightened, she’s never met you, me or Dawn or Xander.”
“Tara’s alive?” Willow asked her, tears streaming down her face.
“Willow, she’s not the Tara we knew, she’s a frightened girl who is feeling a little lost right now.
“But she’s Tara?” Willow pressed Buffy for the answer.
“She is Tara.” Buffy told her. “Just a little younger and very shy.”
Willow sat there stunned, Tara was alive, it wasn’t the Tara she loved, but it was Tara. Willow felt both overjoyed and also heartbroken, she was happy that at least Tara was alive in one sense, but she felt sad to know that this Tara didn’t love her. She had never loved her, never even met her, the tears began to flow freely from the redheads eyes.
“Oh god Buffy.” Willow said. “I feel like she’s been found, only to lose her again.”
“Willow, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what to say.” Buffy said. “I met her this morning outside the ruins of the magic shop. I didn’t know what else to do, the poor girl is frightened.”
“Where is she?” Willow asked her.
“Upstairs asleep.” Buffy said.
Willow stood up and began to walk towards the stairs, but Buffy stopped her. “Willow, you have to understand, this Tara is not the Tara we know.”
Willow nodded. “I know but I have to see her, least I know she is alive. Please Buffy.”
Buffy reluctantly nodded and released Willow’s arm, Willow took a deep breath and slowly climbed the stairs to Buffy’s room. She opened the door to see a blonde girl sleeping on the bed, her soft blonde locks fanned out on the pillow.
Willow stood there for a moment as she watched the girl sleeping, her soft pink lips opening slightly as she breathed in and out. Willow recognized her instantly as Tara, she was definitely a younger and she looked almost identical to when Willow first met the shy Wiccan at the Wicca group on campus.
She took a few steps towards her and then sat down on the bed next to the sleeping girl. She reached out and softly stroked the girl’s hair for a moment.
“Willow.” Buffy said cautiously.
Willow looked back at Buffy for a moment. “It’s ok Buffy.” She turned back to the sleeping Tara. “She looks so beautiful sleeping like that.”
At the sound of voices in the room, Tara began to awaken she slowly opened her eyes and waited for the world around her to come into focus. She turned her head and caught sight of a redheaded woman sitting next to her. Blue eyes met green eyes and both girls found themselves smiling at each other.
“Tara?” Willow said softly.
“Hi.” Tara whispered.
“Hey.” Willow echoed. “She’s so beautiful.” Willow thought to herself.
Tara rubbed her eyes, and she finally got a good look at the redhead who was smiling at her. This was the girl in the photo that Buffy had shown her, the pretty redhead who had been love with her, or at least this reality’s Tara. She was even prettier in person, soft delicate skin, and the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen in her life. Tara could see though that those eyes held pain, and sorrow, this girl had obviously been devastated at losing her girlfriend.
“I’m Willow.” The redhead said to her.
“I know, y y your friend Buffy told me about you.” Tara said smiling.
Willow caught her breath again as she heard the sweet angelic voice of Tara again, she started to cry the emotion of being this close to Tara again was just too much and she began to sob.
Buffy put her hand on her friends shoulder, and was about to pull her into an embrace, when she found that Tara and reached out and started to wipe the tears from Willow’s eyes, she then pulled Willow close to her and embraced her tight. She looked up and saw Buffy smiling at her; she nodded and then got up.
“I’ll be back a little while; I think you two might want to talk.” She said and then left the room closing the door behind her. “One down, two more to go.” She thought to herself, thinking about Dawn and Xander who had yet to know about Tara’s return, well a different Tara.
Buffy could tell straight away though that there was some kind of bond between them, that even though this Tara had never met Willow, there was some magic between them. Perhaps that could help mend Willow’s shattered heart, and maybe just help to bring a little piece of her family back.
Buffy’s bedroom.
“This is so unreal.” Willow said.
Tara looked sad for a moment. “I’m sorry about your Tara.” She said softly.
Willow stroked the girl’s cheek for a moment. “Thank you.”
“I guess, my being here must be painful, and I am really sorry.” The blonde told her.
Willow just stroked the blonde’s hair. “It’s ok, it’s a little strange, but at least I know you’re alive.”
“I just don’t believe that a girl as pretty as you, fell in love with someone as dorky as me.” Tara said.
Willow just smiled. “How could I not, you’re so beautiful Tara, your soft blue eyes, your smile, just everything about you.”
Tara blushed at the compliment. “I never thought of myself like that.”
“You should Tara; I know things must be a little weird right now.” Willow said.
Tara looked away for a moment, she still felt so lost. “W w willow?” She said softly. “I I I’m scared.”
Willow could feel the tears welling in her eyes again, she felt so sorry for the beautiful shy girl. She was pretty much alone in the world right now; she just brushed a few strands of hair from the blonde girls face and then pulled her into a warm embrace.
“Shhh sweetie.” Willow said softly. “Everything’s going to be ok I promise you, you’re safe now.”
“Willow I I I don’t know what is going to happen to me now?” Tara gently whispered.
“Tara you’re safe, I promise.” Willow reassured her. She looked into the blonde’s eyes. “Tara if you could go home would you want to?”
Tara thought for a moment, she remembered everyone teasing her about her stuttering, her shyness and then she remembered her family. Her family who hated her, who told her she was a demon and that she was evil. “Willow, I don’t want to, everyone was so mean to me.”
“Your family as well, I remember.” Willow said.
“Buffy said I wasn’t a demon, she said it was a lie they told me.” Tara said to her.
“Buffy is right, you’re not a demon, I mean how could someone so soft and gentle be evil.” Willow said smiling; she took Tara’s hand and stroked it gently. “I know that at least here with us, you would be well loved. Dawn adored you, my Tara and she used to go for movies and milkshakes each week. Dawn will be overjoyed to see you about I promise you that.”
“Sounds like your Tara was not as shy as I am.” Tara said looking away for a moment.
“She was, when we first met she was exactly like you.” Willow smiled. “It was a while before you met my friends, as I well liked just having you to myself.”
Tara’s little smile sent the warm fuzzy feeling through Willow, she so missed that smile, the tenderness that only Tara had. Even though this wasn’t really her Tara she still felt the connection and the attraction to the beautiful girl.
Willow felt the sadness return as she had to remember that this girl never knew her, they had never dated or kissed or even made love. Willow missed her touch badly, the tenderness of just sharing her life with the shy blonde. She could feel the emotions welling up within her; she felt a little tear trickle down her cheek.
Tara saw the tear rolling down the redhead’s cheek, she felt guilty that it was probably due to her that Willow was feeling sad. “I’m sorry.” She said softly. “It’s me isn’t it, I I I I’m supposed to be dead here”
Willow looked horrified. “God no Tara, please don’t think that, you should never have died here, it’s just when I last saw my Tara alive we were so in love. I guess it’s just hard for me to know that we were never together.”
“I I I’m sorry Willow, it’s just everything has gone crazy around me and I don’t know why I am here, my head hurts with all this.” Tara said. “I mean I find out that another me, who had a wonderful life with a beautiful girlfriend. I had a horrible life before, my family my mom died a few years ago.” Tara began to cry, the emotions in her overwhelmed the young woman and she began to sob.
Willow’s heart broke and she pulled Tara close, just trying to give her some comfort from the embrace. She just wanted to hold her, to let her know she was not going to be alone. “Oh Tara, sweetie your going to be fine.” She gently stroke Tara’s soft hair.
“Hold me please Willow, just hold me.” Tara cried.
Willow held her close as much pain as she was in, she could feel it easing as in her arms was Tara Maclay, she might not have been her Tara but this girl was still the same beautiful blonde she had met several years ago.
Even as Tara cried she could feel a little peace in her heart, here in this confusing world, she was in the arms of someone who cared about her. Tara had never really had anyone care about her since her mother died, but at least she felt safe here in Willow’s arms.
Buffy peeked through the door and saw Willow holding Tara close to her in an embrace; she could Tara crying and Willow just whispering softly to her. Buffy felt herself choked with emotions herself, but she could feel a little happiness as the sight of Willow with Tara was amazing. Even though they had really only just met for the first time, she could tell the magic was still there.
“Welcome home Tara.” She whispered.
***
This is the idea I had for an alternate reality Tara, turning up in our world
Rachel
This is wonderful I love how you brought tara in to this world willow needed her and tara needs willow you can feel the pain in both girls thay need healing keep it coming this is great 
thank you for more keep it coming you are a great writer and you are making this so real I think i can speak for most of us that you keep us hungry for more please 
That twas beautiful! Tell me your updating soon cause I cant wait! 
Akyiree
