Not too many people have really responded to this fic but a lot of people seem to have viewed it. It's greatly appreciated that if you do read this that you respond even with just a line or two so I know people are really into it and it's worth continuing spending my time on. For now I've decided to continue for those who seem anxious for more.
In this part of the fic it becomes a little confusing part way through between the future Willow/Tara couple and the other couple so I have separated the dialogue with ***'s. It may look weird but I hope it makes it a clearer distinction between who's speaking if you have questions ask.
Part 2
"Mommies!!!" cried the little girl flailing her arms about trying to get her parents to come closer. Interrupting the deep conversation the two were about to continue.
"How did I get here?" Willow finally asked the question she hadn't even remembered to ask earlier.
Tara took advantage of the little girl as a distraction to get away from the line of questions Willow was throwing at her. She knew she couldn't waste too much time because...time was of the essence, but she needed to stop and regain her composure to remember not to become too attached to Willow. If all didn't go as planned Willow would once again be leaving her and Willow would be put in harms way.
"Tara?" Willow called her lover's name to try to bring her back to her questions.
"I know how deeply you care for Buffy, Willow." Tara began mid-thought.
"Why are we talking about Buffy now? I thought we were talking about our destiny and our child...?" Willow questioned Tara.
"We are." Tara replied simply not knowing what else to say. "I know it was hard for you...for us even, to leave Sunnydale to have our life as a family. Parting from Buffy was hard and now...this." Tara sighed deeply grieved at the news she must bestow upon Willow.
"We leave Sunnydale?" Willow asked wide-eyedly.
"Yes, you decided it was too dangerous for us, at the time. The Hellmouth wasn't the place for us after all we'd experienced on it...having our family begin there didn't seem so swift." Tara explained.
"So we moved." Willow said coldly backing out of the embrace Tara had around her.
"Willow." Tara called to her lover feeling saddened by the lack of contact between the three.
"Get to it Tara, I need to know." Willow added hastily.
"Her fifth birthday..." Tara began to unravel the explanation cautiously. "was a day of mourning." Tara finished vaguely.
"Why?" Willow scrunched her face questioningly.
In that instant Tara opened her hand and blew at some grains of a substance in her hand and recited some words. Suddenly, Tara and Willow were no longer in the room filled with birthday decorations but now they were outside.
"Whoa!" Willow stumbled upon appearing in their destination.
"Sorry, ride makes you a little dizzy." Tara flashed her half-smile but Willow missed the trademark smile due to her quick curiosity of where they were.
"Our home!" Willow gasped in awe of the well-kept house and nicely sized backyard.
"Yes." Tara smiled proud that even though Willow hadn't seen either of their future-selves she knew where they were.
"It's us!" Willow squeaked in surprise pointing to the driveway where a reflection of herself and Tara were getting out of their car. Their child Emma was still in the backseat waiting for one of her mothers to let her out.
"Mommiesssssss!!!!!" Emma whined in frustration drawing out the word for emphasis. She seemed to be a very rambunctious child.
"She takes after you a little too much in the energy department!" Tara smirked opening the backseat car door.
"Let's not forget how she got here..." Willow teased back.
"Alright so it came in handy...once?" Tara raised an eyebrow
"More than that." Willow whispered but Tara had not heard her lover in the frenzy of taking her daughter out of the car.
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"You're so lovely still after carrying our daughter..." Willow smiled at both forms of Tara.
"Didn't you want to know what happens?" Tara shushed her lover gently.
"We're home in our safe, loving, adorable house what can go wrong while we're here?" Willow questioned unhappily.
"Watch." Tara pointed at the reflection of them carrying their daughter into the backyard.
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"Swing, swing swing!!!!" Emma shrieked happily.
"Happy Birthday sweetie." Willow said scooping Emma up in her arms but Emma quickly wiggled out to go swing.
"Mommy swing me swing me!!" Emma commanded impatiently.
"Go ahead Will...she wants you." Tara smiled fondly as her red-haired witch joined their child.
"You coming?" Willow invited Tara to come help.
"No, I'm a little tired I'm going to go sit over on the patio." Tara said moving to the location she indicated to take a rest and watch as the two red heads giggled happily.
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"It's everything I dreamed come true." Willow pointed at the scene not understanding the negative impact of the day Tara had been referring to her entire visit thus far.
"Wait." Tara cupped her ear indicating for Willow o pick up on the background noise.
"The phone." Willow sighed defeatedly knowing the horror was about to unfold before her eyes.
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"Honey, the phone's ringing I'll be right back." Tara called to her lover.
"Hurry back." Willow encouraged.
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"How do I know what's going on if she's inside and we're out here?" Willow questioned Tara as they continued to huddle behind some bushes.
"It's for you." both Tara's echoed the words to their corresponding Willow.
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"Tell 'em I'll call 'em back." Willow told Tara.
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Willow sighed deeply thinking the maybe she was wrong about the horror about to unfold. If Willow didn't take the call maybe the rest of what was to come wouldn't come.
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"It's Riley." Tara looked intently at Willow.
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"RILEY?!" Willow screeched in surprise covering her mouth to quiet her tone. "We haven't spoken to him since...since...since..." Willow could barely remember the last visit Riley had showing up in Sunnydale with his new wife.
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"Oh, alright." Willow huffed to pick up the phone.
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"No!!!!" Willow groaned in agony knowing something really was about to happen now no matter what she tried it would happen.
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"Hello...uh-huh....oh god!" Willow had taken the phone and moments later she was in tears bawling her eyes out after dropping to her knees in anguish.
Tara quickly picked up the phone and began talking to the voice on the other end of the conversation.
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"What?! What happened?!!!" Willow cried out in confusion.
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Tara quickly became as distraught as Willow. Tara hung up the phone and bent down beside her wife to try to comfort her.
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Tara began to sob as she watched the scene that seemed all too familiar to her as Willow stared in shock with her mouth gaping open at the scene.
"Buffy." Willow whispered in a gasp of horror as if knowing all in a moment without having to be told, but truth be known she didn't know the worst of it.
"Oh Willow!" Tara tugged Willow to her in an embrace as emotions overtook her mission. For that split second nothing mattered except comforting Willow. Both scenes mirrored each other as both Willows' were being rocked back and forth in their corresponding Taras' arms.
"I can't bring her back this time." Willow states coldly knowing the fact.
"That too." Tara says vaguely trying to console Willow from things she didn't even know.
"Too? As in plural?" Willow took a step back to look into Tara's eyes hoping to find the answer.
"Faith died too." Tara revealed one of the other missing links to their sorrow.
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"Mommy...mommy? Mommy I'm scared." Emma breaks into the sobbing session as she can't stop her swing from rocking back and forth to go over to her mothers.
"What about Uncle Xander?" said a voice softly as he entered the backyard and quickly went to the young red-head's rescue scooping her into his arms.
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"Xander!" Willow gasped as she saw him appear in sight praising the Goddess that at least he was still alive.
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"-An-er!!" Emma giggled happily not able to pronounce Xander's name properly.
"Here, why don't you say hello to Aunt Anya while I go visit with your mommies okay?" Xander began to hand Emma off to Anya.
"No! I don't want one!" Anya crossed her arms refusing to hold Emma. "They cost too much money...I like to make money not lose it!" Anya frowned but Xander gave her a very annoyed look and Anya quickly changed moods. "Come here munchin'!" she tried to sound as sincere as she possibly could.
"Willow? Tara?" Xander approached the two Wiccans with an obvious limp.
"Xander!" Willow cried looking up out of Tara's arms to see her oldest and dearest friend.
"I...uhh...the news." Xander looked down scolding himself for the fragmented statement he had survived the incident and he could barely speak a sentence to his best friend? What was he a coward? he scolded.
"Riley called." Tara answered.
"Oh." was all Xander could manage.
"Thank the goddess you made it..." Tara quickly stood with Willow enveloping the dear friend in their arms.
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"Why do I leave you?!" Willow demanded tearing herself from Tara's arms angrily realizing the blonde witch keeps avoiding answering her questions.
"You have to watch...you wanted to know so watch." Tara pointed to the scene as if she was missing important dialogue.
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"Willow, what's the big news?" Anya interrupted the greeting.
"Oh...uhh...Tara and I haven't...I mean Tara doesn't...know yet..." Willow gulped feeling awkward.
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"I kept a secret from you for more then five seconds?!" Willow asked wide-eyedly in shock that this situation was getting more complex by the minute.
"Shh!" Tara pointed her finger at the scene again.
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"I know sweetie." Tara shook her head contradicting the red-head's thoughts.
"You know?" Willow shrieked in surprise.
"Riley told me too...I know..." Tara said a bit quieter.
"About Emma you mean?" Willow settled herself a bit feeling a bit relieved that the two were misunderstanding each other.
"Yes...about our duty." Tara replied.
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"Our duty!!" Willow whispered excitedly ready to find out what all the tip-toeing around the subject was leading up to.
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That's all for now. Did I leave off at another good cliffhanger or what? Is the suspense killing you yet? Let me know. I work Sunday's through Wednesdays so updates may be slow during the week but I'll try to continue to update if I see enough of an interest during the week. Hope you all enjoy!