New Fic: My Heart Draws a Dream (up 11/26)

[Nue]

TITLE: "My Heart Draws a Dream"

AUTHOR: Nue

RATING: R

DISCLAIMER: they belong to other people, like ME, Joss and FOX, but I promise take good care of them ^ ^

SUMMARY: Tara wakes up in a strange version of Sunnydale after being shot. Willow tries to recover after losing her girlfriend. The Scoobies prepare to face First Evil.

SPOILERS: S6~S7

EMAIL: nuetsukiyono@hotmail.com

FEEDBACK: I´d like to ^^

AUTHOR’S NOTE: well, this is a complex story ... It's my way of dealing with things. This is is a very angst-y story, but I promise you a happy ending ^ ^. I know there are several versions of the S7, but now I think I can do mine. If not allowed, just let me know, ok?
AUTHOR’S NOTE 2: I would like to thank sweetsatinlover and tetyline. the first, for being a dear friend and the second being a perfect girlfriend ^ ^. Thanks for the love and support, girls ^ ^
AUTHOR´SNOTE 3: 'My heart draws a dream' is a L´arc~en~Ciel song ^^

Chapter 1

"When a lover is fortunate enough to meet her other half, they are both so intoxicated with affection, with friendship, and with love, that they cannot bear to let each other out of sight for a single instant." -Plato


"Your shirt ..." after saying these words, Tara fell. With these words, Tara saw her world disappear. The red spots on white fabric, the last thing she saw.

Red ...

Red was one of her favorite colors. Red like a sunset in the summer.

Red like Willow´s hair.

Red like the blood that stained her blouse.

There was no pain. Tara didn´t even felt her body fall. In a flash, the speed of the flapping of a hummingbird, Tara fell. And when she woke up, she was alone.

It had all been a dream?? Is she still in her college dorm, all by herself? Her reconciliation with Willow was just an illusion? Does her tired mind playing tricks on her, causing her to feel that sweet taste of happiness?
Confused, she looked around. The room was dark, the bed was made, the pillows and cushions in their proper places. Tara knew that neither she nor Willow had tied anything. They didn´t even want to leave their bed...

The room was immaculate, as if nobody entered there for years. She remembered when she and Willow moved to the Summers house early that summer. In the Summers house, Tara and Willow made a home. To the world, they were Tara and Willow, powerful witches, heart and head of the Scoobies ... But in that room, they didn´t need to be strong ... In that room, the girls could be shy, inadequate and insecure ... In that room, they could just be two girls in love...

Now Tara had before her a sterile room. Without red ...

Without Willow...

She felt a faint smell of ozone, taking Tara away from her thoughts. Why was she there? What was happening? Why she had this burning in her chest? Now she was in pain ... It was a good sign, right?

Tara tried the door, afraid she would find the other side. The silence was so great that it hurts her ears. She felt the plush carpet in bare feet and chest pain increased dramatically, like lightning running through her body. Tara leaned against the nearby wall, panting. In the room she felt nothing, now to stand up was painful. But she needed to continue. Needed to search the house, her home, looking for someone.

Find Willow... Willow would have answers, Willow was her red-haired genius.

Tara tried to call her girlfriend, but her dry throat did not leave any sound. She continued walking, one step at a time, fighting the excruciating pain. She felt the cold air to burn the nostrils. The wall seemed harsh in her cold hands ...

She was in pain... Her chest felt like it was tearing and her heart would explode at any moment ... Her knees buckled and Tara fell. For a minute, she considered staying there, get some rest. But she could not do that ... Willow needed her, needed her help. She got up slowly. Her heart was beating so hard, fear, doubt ...

Maybe that's why I felt so much pain ...

Maybe Willow was in danger ...

Tara felt like her heart was struggling against her lungs and ribs ... Maybe it was a warning ... But she couldn´t give up... She looked up, the doors of other rooms were open and stumbling, she saw that the rooms were empty. There was nobody in the house... There was no one...

Tara was really alone...

United all her meager forces and hurried on, leaning on the railing. The head was spinning; the urge to vomit was great and could not breathe. Tara felt suffocated, febrile, helpless ... She held the handrail down one step at a time, trying not to stumble.
Tara couldn´t breathe, her lungs seemed to burn ... The girl tried to pull the air, but everything was burning. This felt different she was punished every day by her father and brother, she never felt like that, so devastated.

She casted a quick glance through the kitchen and the living room before throwing himself at the door. A trembling hand grasped the doorknob. Had she been taken prisoner in the house again? No... That was impossible. The problems were being resolved, there was a slight air of happiness hanging in the house, especially now that she and Willow had got back together.

Willow

Willow needed to be found ... Tara had to find her. But how to cast the Tinker Bell spell if she couldn´t speak? Why, when Willow was in danger, needing her, Tara was never around?

Does everything her father said about her was true?

No. Willow make her feel unique. Every day. In those big green eyes of her girlfriend, Tara felt beautiful, wonderful ...

Special.

Willow needed her. And with that thought, Tara opened the door.

The cold air took Tara and she could feel the oxygen invades her lungs. She allowed herself to fall all four on the grass, feeling it under her fingers. The air smelled of wet earth, like after rain in the lazy summer days. Tara stared at the cloudy sky, was still day, but the heavy storm clouds did not allow her to see the sunlight.

There was no sun in the morning?

Coughing, the girl stood up, wiping her hands on her pants. Still breathing hard , her dry lips turned in weak smile before the cold breeze hits her. Gradually, her body felt better, rejecting the pain before. With her eyes closed, she tried to feel Willow´s presence. They always knew where the other was... They always was able to find each other... Her bare feet in contact with Earth should help, her direct connection with the Goddess...

Nothing ...

The Earth didn´t brought a response. Tara opened her eyes, looking around. The houses were there, but the streets were empty. No car, no one in sight. No noise ...

The strong wind echoed against her ears. After what happened inside the house, she couldn´t go back there. She crossed her arms, she didn´t feel cold or asphalt bothered her feet. Someone could tell her what was happening?

Tara walked through the empty streets, seeing the houses and their doors open, venturing to glance at a few. But there was nobody. Walking slowly, Tara decided to go to the Magic Box... If there was a place where she would have answers, would be there.

She didn´t like being alone. The loneliness will never go down well.

When she came to Maple Street, Tara could saw that the shops were empty too. The howl of wind had decreased, but still bothered. Seeing the magic shop, Tara smiled. It was so nice to see a friendly place at a time so insane as this. She ran to the door, unlike the other shops where she had passed, the door was clodes. She tried the doorknob.

Locked ...

Anya never closed the shop before sunset. Sometimes, she even kept the store open late. According to her, creatures of night and other demons had right to do their shopping in a clean, reliable, and affordable place. Why lose that market share? Typical Anya...

Tara loved her. They had a strange connection between 'ex-demon' and 'girl who thought she was a demon', besides they used to date two childhood friends. When she broke up with Willow, that dark period of her life, Anya stood beside her, listening to her crying and whining ... Tara wishes she had done the same for her when Xander left her at the altar, but Anya was gone, returning a few weeks later.

But Anya wasn´t there. Tara knocked at the door, tried to look between the shutters of the window and nothing. The store seemed to be empty. And Tara found herself once again lost. Her house had driven her away, the Magic Box was inaccessible... Where'd she go now?

She sat on the curb, trying to organize her ideas. What would she do now? Tara could try the university or Xander's apartment, but everything seemed a great waste of time. She was alone. Trapped in a warped version of the lonely city that she had adopted as home.

Then, she felt a tap on her shoulder. A hand closed on it and Tara turned to see its owner. The hope of finally finding someone dissipated when she saw the tall man, dressed in a black suit and he had strange markings on his face, like runes covering his eyes and mouth. The girl felt a scream dying in her dry throat and pushed the man, who was looking at her with curiosity.

Staggering, Tara escaped him, running away. Looking back, she saw he following her, his large steps decreasing the distance between them. Terrified, Tara just stopped running when she bumped into another person. It looked like a vampire, he should have taken the lack of sun to hunt. The creature stared at Tara and she saw that the demonic marks were more pronounced. The monster grabbed her wrist quick and tightly, making the girl moan in pain.

Gone ... She would die there ...

Willow...

She tried to mutter a spell, but no words left her mouth ... She prayed to the Goddess, waiting for a miracle ... No... She couldn´t end like this, without understanding what was happening ...

Without Willow...

She struggled to get rid of the vampire, the marks of his claws ripping the sleeve of her blue sweater and Tara ran aimlessly. She just wanted to be the farthest away. The girl turned and saw her pursuers, two more joined the duo and now she could see the shadows on shop windows. Only shadows, like ghosts without color, curious about the commotion of the streets ... There was no time to watch them, she had to flee. At each step, more and more creatures rallied the crowd and Tara knew that if they caught, she would not live to see another day.

She tripped over her own feet and fell ... Turned to the group, Tara took a deep breath. She could feel the stares from the shadows on themselves, their implementation would be just a diversion?

The group approached dangerously and Tara stood up, turning to run. A few feet away, she could see a woman standing, blond hair tousled by the wind, the flowery green dress at her knees and take a cardigan white made her look out-of-place in time.

Tara knew that woman...

As she approached her, Tara could see her features better. Her eyes were blue and Tara knew that nose.

Claire Maclay was standing right there ...

Her mother...

The same one who died shortly after Tara turned 17.

"My baby girl ..." The woman said, when Tara came close to her. The smile was pure, calm. Tara flopped down in her arms. If it was all a dream, why not enjoy it? Nothing else mattered, the empty city, the horde stalker ... Nothing ...

"Mom..." Tara managed to say, feeling a tear run down corner of her eye. In one swift motion, Claire stood in front of Tara and faced the group. "Greaduriaid Drwg, heb son am y plentyn hwnnw!” She spoke, her never-changing voice calm as ever.. The group recoiled at the words of the woman, like she ordered, gathering the edges and corners. Only a few shadows remained in the windows.

"Mom... what are you doing here? What is this place?"

"This is the Shadowland ..." Claire said, running her fingers through her daughter's hair, still smiling. "It is a place between dimensions..."

"And what are these creatures?" Tara wanted to take the woman's presence, but her curiosity had to be appeased. She was living too much time with Willow ... "Those men with runes on the faces are Bringers ... The vampires are Turok-Han ... This should be a place of peace, but since they arrived things went tumultuous ..."

"And why am I here?" Claire bent her head, a gesture that Tara also used to do ... She took a deep breath and pointed her daughter's chest ... Tara dropped her gaze and saw the red spot appears in the blue sweater ...

Red as a sunset in the summer ...

Red like Willow´s hair ...

Red like the blood that stained her blouse ...

"Oh, dear ... 'cause you're dead ..."




See you next chapter ^^

[BuffyFan4ever]

Dibs.

Interesting start. I want more. Update soon.

[PalomaMartinBR]

Hey Nue, remember me? I wanted to apologize for that...incident on msn, I really liked True colors, but you didn't give me chapter four, could you?

I liked this on too, write mooore ^^

Abraços, Paloma

[Ariel]

I'm always fascinated by dimensional doors, life after death, etc.

You've pulled me in.

Bring it on!

Ariel

[Nue]

BuffyFan4ever – thanks for your comment ^^ I´m trying really hard to write something good ^^ keeping reading ^^

PalomaMartinBR – hey Paloma! Long time no see ^^ Oh, I lost my Chapter 4, so I had to rewrite… But I´m planning to finish that story ^^ thanks for your comment ^^

Ariel – oh, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Indeed, life after death is a very interesting subject and I hope I'm doing it right ^ ^btw, I'm reading your fic on LiveJournal! Thumbs up!




TITLE: "My Heart Draws a Dream"

AUTHOR: Nue

RATING: R

DISCLAIMER: they belong to other people, like ME, Joss and FOX, but I promise take good care of them ^ ^

SUMMARY: Tara wakes up in a version of Sunnydale after being shot. Willow tries to recover after losing her girlfriend. The Scoobies prepare to face First Evil.

SPOILERS: S6~S7

EMAIL: nuetsukiyono@hotmail.com

FEEDBACK: I´d like to ^^

AUTHOR´S NOTE: I suck writing fight scenes... please be gentle...


Chapter 2

“Mama, just killed a man. Put a gun against his head. Pulled my trigger, now he's dead” – Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen.

The naked bodies were tangled and sweaty under the red sheets. Kissing, touching, caressing. Moans, sweet words whispered in each other´s ears.

The urgency of their touches denoted despair. However, they´re just missing each other. Willow stared at Tara´s beautiful blue eyes, her red cheeks, her expression delighted with such intimate, desired touches. The kisses became lengthier, loving. Despair gave way to patience, provocation. After so long, the redhead wanted to enjoy the night, the night they were finally together, to prove her love for Tara in the best way, in every way.

The provocation became worship. Willow's lips traveled Tara´s body, her tongue searching to decorate each piece of the blonde´s skin.

But Tara seemed to have other plans. She turned Willow over and laid down on top of her girlfriend, kissing her hard on the lips. Her hands, long fingers gently touching the girl´s body, her breasts fit perfectly in Tara´s hands.

Tara straddled Willow´s hips, and look at her girl, smiling. Smile that met its equal in the redhead´s face.

A snap

Broken glass.

And Willow's smile faded when she saw the hole in girlfriend´s chest, the blood splashed on her.

And even so, Tara smiled ...

***

Willow woke up frightened. Lost, she took a while to locate herself. The flight attendant, so serious with her uniform and her perfect bum, looked at her with a forced smile. "Ma´am?" She began, in apology "We are prepared to land. Could you put your seat belt?".

The redhead then realized that she was on the plane. She slept nearly 12 hours of flight... And she worried if she could rest at all... The dream she had was nothing new. Tara always had her thoughts, conscious or not.

After three long months, she was returning home. And she was afraid of what would happen...

When Giles reported that the Devon Coven was willing to help her, Willow thought they would kill her. A punishment that Willow would accept willingly. After all she had done, the death seemed appropriate.

But to her surprise, the witches of the Coven treated her with respect, like a lost sheep of the flock.

A sheep with power enough to destroy the world.

In these three months, Willow learned so much. She could feel that she had changed into a nearly molecular level. After three months of meditation, study and clean air of Westbury, she felt like a new woman

Willow could only wonder if there would be a place in Sunnydale to a woman like her... As she walked away, defeated, devastated, Willow could feel her friends’ relief ...

Maybe it was just paranoia.

In these three months, Willow has been reconstructed, gathered her pieces and reassembled. She was allowed to touch the core of her essence and understand the power she had within herself.

All the darkness she had in her soul ...

But alone in her room in the Coven, Willow dreamed of Tara. Tara, timid and helpless like a wounded bird.. Tara, gentle and loving. Tara, who like to watch SpongeBob and laughed like a child ...

Tara, the woman she loved and who died in her arms ...

How could she forget that? How to overcome what happened? Willow returned to Sunnydale with an understanding of power itself, but still carried a wounded heart, her soul shattered.

And a hope that time would heal her wounds ...

***

After grabbing her luggage, Willow looked around and saw her parents, standing near the gate. She walked slowly toward them. When she called back and said she was going back, Sheila and Ira Rosenberg insisted to go pick her up at the airport .. And demanded that their daughter stay with them until classes begin. Even without understanding, Willow agreed.

She didn´t feel ready to go home yet ...

In her 21 years, her relationship with her parents has become cold and distant. But Willow didn´t blame them. Her parents were busy people to pay attention to their daughter. But they were her parents, and she loved them. They supported her decisions, supporting the woman she had become. They couldn´t agree with everything she did, but they were always on her side. Like when Willow showed up with Tara and introduced her as her girlfriend .. After the initial shock, her parents tried their best to make the couple feel comfortable and accepted.

Willow has been embraced by her mother and Ira embraced both, in a rare display of affection. The Rosenberg always had been private people. Sheila used to say that public displays of affection were for exhibitionists.

"How was England? Did you managed to attend some Dr. Phillips´s lectures? "Sheila asked, her arm around her daughter´s shoulder, taking her to the car, while Ira took care of her luggage. For them, Willow had gone to a summer course at Oxford. She didn´t like lying to her parents, but in this case, the truth would provide a one-way ticket to the nuthouse. And with the contacts Sheila had, that wouldn´t be very difficult.
The girl answered their questions with short answers and Ira blamed fatigue. He promised to do his world famous hrein risotto with crispy gorgonzola.

Food reminded Willow that Tara was allergic to shrimp ...

In the backseat of the car, the redhead let her mind wander .. and the destination was always Tara...

Sheila and Ira exchanged glances. They knew that their daughter and her girlfriend had broke up several months ago and they thought a trip to England would help Willow to get over it.. And they would do everything to help their girl with it ...

***

Willow sat on her bed, looking around her old room. Everything was like she left, three years earlier, when she started college. The room still had that air of innocence, a smell of childhood ...
Se passed her hand across the bed and a weak smile took her lips. She and Tara had made love in this bed when they came to celebrate Hanukah ... The memory was recent, but it seemed so far away ... A lifetime ago.
She lay in bed, hugging the pillow. Now everything would be so much harder. She has to relearn how to live alone, start all over again...

Willow was 21 years old and she felt like she had lived for centuries ...

"Willow?" Sheila called, entering the room. Willow lifted her face and sat down. The woman sat down beside her. "I thought it was best to leave your room like that," she began, after some minutes of silence a strange and heavy. "It's almost like a time machine. Sometimes I sit in this bed and remember when you were little ... "
"You didn´t see me grow up, mom ..." Willow had overcome the problems she had with her parents. Tara helped it .. But her tone was bitterer than what she imagined.
"I knew everything about raising children, but I was wrong in thinking that you would be an ongoing project ..." Sheila´s words Willow caught by surprise. "When I realized you had grown, in college, being happy with a girl ..." the woman ran a hand through her daughter´s hair "You look good with long hair ..." Sheila looked sad. .. "I never knew you when dealing you as a child ... or as a teenager ... But now, you're a grown woman ... Now we're like the same ... "

Willow was surprised at her words. "I may not have been a present and attentive mother, but I can be your friend ... If you need me, you know where to find me ... "

Sheila took Willow in her arms. Not knowing what to say, Willow laid her head on the woman's lap.
And for the first time in her life, she felt she had a real mother.

"Now wash up and go down to eat ... If your father ruin dinner again, we can always order a pizza ... "

***

"You need to pay attention all the night sounds ..." Buffy began, her arms crossed over her chest, walking quietly, "If you do not pay attention to your surroundings, you're dead the next second ..."
"Jeez, Buffy, so you're always so motivating?” Dawn said, nervous and excited to accompany her sister on a real hunt. Over the past three months, training was mostly theoretical, practicing blows in the backyard. Buffy was still afraid to take Dawn with her, but this was the best way to entertain her sister, get her out of home.
Buffy always wanted to protect the girl from the supernatural insanity that was her life. She wanted for Dawn a normal life that Buffy hadn´t. "This isn´t a joke, Dawn ..." the reproachful tone made the Slayer remember Giles. She missed her Watcher, but she was already a grown woman, the most successful Slayer in history. She no longer needed a Watcher.

"Bad things happen when we're not paying attention ..." Buffy said, looking around, looking for a fresh grave. "You must understand that any carelessness can be fatal ... And always remember the Scoobies´ Golden Rule: Try not to die." The Slayer ended, stopping in front of a mound of unturned earth, no headstone yet. "Dying is not good for the skin ... believe me... "
Dawn let out a nervous laugh. She knew that facing her first vampire was a baptism of fire, her passport to be a full-time Scoobie. Buffy would treat her as a young woman she was ...

Tara did that.. Tara listened, understood her problems and didn´t treat her like a child. Tara was her mother, her sister, her friend...

The former Key sighed, trying to regain focus. Whenever she thought of Tara, remembered the hours spent watching her body. Tara had done so much for her, Dawn couldn´t leave her alone ...

The girl was taken from her thoughts when the dirt moved. She took a deep breath and pulled the stake from the inside pocket of her jacket.
"A vampire will always be stronger and faster than you" The Slayer sat on a nearby headstone. "But you can be smarter than him."

A pale hand came under Dawn´s watchful eye. The vampire is freed from his imprisonment and faced the girl. "A vampire will always see you as food. And he will use any trick to getting your blood." Buffy felt strangely calm. She had the same age as Dawn when she woke as the Slayer. She knew exactly what she was feeling now.

Being there, done that ...

Buffy looked up, feeling proud to see Dawn defending against the vampire´s clumsy attacks. She had to be careful if she had to intervene. As much as Buffy wanted Dawn to be independent, she was her younger sister. She couldn´t let her get hurt ... Nobody else was going to hurt in her watch ...
With the stake at hand, Dawn felt powerful. Maybe it was the adrenaline of being face to face with a deadly creature.

A woman's scream stopped the fight. Both the vampire as Dawn looked at each other and they saw Buffy goes running toward the screaming. Dawn took momentary distraction to stake the vampire's chest. She smiled when creature became dust.. Dawn wanted Buffy had seen her killing that vampire, but the Slayer´s sister wasn´t always a fun ride. Buffy was never around to see the girl´s achievements.

The former Key ran in the same direction where Buffy had gone. The Sunnydale Cemetery was relatively small, and with the full moon, Dawn could see her sister a few blocks away.

Buffy could see two people in front of her. One of them had its body covered with a long black robe. The other, 18 years old girl, with long, brown ponytail, was struggling against an invisible force.

The Slayer quickened her pace. She could see the girl losing her strength. The hooded figure came and took the girl's neck in his thin hands, with dark veins hands. The girl screamed and a thick white smoke came out of her mouth... Then the smoke was swallowed by her attacker.

"Robes are back on again and nobody told me? I hate being the outsider... " Buffy said, trying to draw attention to her.

The hooded figure even bother to look at the Slayer. He raised his hand and sent a dark energy bolt at her. Buffy was shot in the chest and fell over a gravestone. "I hate people with no sense of humor," When she managed to stand up, the girl was already on the ground, and her attacker was looking at her with curiosity...

"Buffy!" Dawn yelled, running toward her sister. "Dawn! Stay there! " Ignoring the words of the Slayer, Dawn helped her sister to get up. Buffy took a deep breath, feeling Slayer healing kicking in.. "Get down here and don´t move."

Buffy ran and tackled the mysterious person´s body. They exchanged a few quick punches and kicks, she couldn´t remember when she found someone who matches her strength and speed. The Slayer throw him a good sequence of punches, stunning her opponent. She took advantage and pulled the hood.

Her red hair passed her shoulders, the black veins covered the girl's face, even more visible against the pale skin. The eyes were completely black, like two bottomless holes. The redhead looked at Buffy and she took advantage of the distraction to throw another bolt, throwing the girl away. She covered her face again and disappeared into the night.

Dawn went to help her sister to get up again. Buffy wasn´t used to let their opponents run away ...

"Are you okay? Did you see who that was? "

"Willow..."




See you next chapter ^^

[BuffyFan4ever]

Dibs

Oooh, the plot thickens.Very cool chapter. I'm sure it's either a Willow from an alternate dimension or someone with a glamor. I'm sure it's not a coincidence that Willow's coming home now. Also, was the attacked girl's identity important?

Can't wait for the next one

[Zampsa1975]

Yay for good update-y goodness... I hope Tara is somehow able to contact Willow so that they can start planning Tara's return to the land of the living...

[Ariel]

Scary, scary, scary - you got me!

Nice to see more complexity to Sheila's character and a chance at a closer relationship betweeen her and Willow.

More, please!

Ariel

[DaddyCatALSO]

Hmm, two Willows? I can think of several expalnations, but I'm sure you'll surprise us all.

hrein risotto

What's that, rice with rhubarb?

[Nue]

BuffyFan4ever – congratz for your dibs ^^ No, the girl´s identity isn´t that important… at least not now ^^… thanks for reading

Zampsa1975 - Hey Sami ^^ No way I´ll let our girls suffering like this but it´s a long road before they meet again.. Keep reading ^^

Ariel - Well, in a moment like this, Willow could use her mother´s lap, right? Thanks for reading ^^

DaddyCatALSO - Hrein is beet relish with horseradish… I found in a kosher deli near my college years ago.. it´s delicious.




TITLE: "My Heart Draws a Dream"

AUTHOR: Nue

RATING: R

DISCLAIMER: they belong to other people, like ME, Joss and FOX, but I promise take good care of them ^ ^

SUMMARY: Tara wakes up in a version of Sunnydale after being shot. Willow tries to recover after losing her girlfriend. The Scoobies prepare to face First Evil.

SPOILERS: S6~S7

EMAIL: nuetsukiyono@hotmail.com

FEEDBACK: I´d like to ^^



Chapter 3


“Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.” – Unknown Author

"What?" Tara looked at her mother as the woman walked through the empty streets of Sunnydale. "I. .. I died? "The girl stopped, causing Claire to stop too. The woman grabbed her daughter's hands, her blue eyes shone with tears. Tara broke away from her, covered her face and cried.

Is this some kind of punishment?

"Baby girl..." Claire touched her daughter´s shoulders, she didn´t know what to do to comfort her. Tara looked so desolate, so destroyed.... She took her in her arms, bringing her daughter to herself. Although Claire could see the woman Tara had become, she was still her baby, her girl with sad blue eyes. And the will to protect her against everything, against all damage of the world has increased, like the times that her husband raised his hand to punish the girl. Claire knew that she wasn´t there for that, that wasn´t her mission, but Tara was her daughter... And no mother would like to see her daughter suffer...

Claire continued to hug her until Tara´s tears became sobs. The girl wiped her face with the intact sleeve of her sweater and kept her face down, her blonde hair hiding her face.

"You have grown so much... When I left, you were still a girl... " Claire knew that her daughter's life after her passage wasn´t easy.
Tara was silent, thoughtful. She wanted to believe it was all a nightmare without end.

Dear Goddess... she wanted to wake up...

***

Claire led Tara to a clearing in the woods near UC Sunnydale. Tara knew that place, there was where she performed her rituals and meditations before she met Willow. She felt a special bond with the Earth when she was there.

Now, there was nothing... The trees seemed colorless, like the gray sky.

Without red...

Tara saw her mother sitting on a fallen log, under the shade of large oak. Claire signed her daughter to sit next to her, but Tara remained standing. Her head swarmed with questions, her heart was heavy with sadness... It was normal to mourn her own death, right?

She put her hand on her chest... How she could feel her heart beat if there was a hole in it?

"What is this place?" The girl began, her tone was harsh. She missed the birds singing. "Why am I here?"

"These are the Shadownlands... It´s a place between dimensions that is used for the transition of souls... "Claire started to explain.

"This is Hell?" Tara interrupted angrily "Cause a bleak version of Sunnydale seems hell to me... Wasn´t I good enough?”

"Tara, honey... I understand your anger... It's good to feel this way... "

"You understand my anger?? You were relieved when you died! You got rid of Dad and Donnie, got rid of that damn disease... "

Tara stopped talking when she realized that Claire looked at her with wide eyes. Tara always been so restrained and introspective... "Sorry .. I'm just mad... "she said, shrugging.

"You shouldn´t even remember your life... At least for a while... In cases of violent death, the transition is so traumatic that some people don´t remember anything... Sometimes they even get lost forever... I wasn´t able to remember who I was for a long time...”Claire said, getting up and walking up to Tara. "You're angry, because you remember your life..."

"And it's just another way to torture me? Leave me here with all these memories..." Tara hugged herself and she could feel her cheeks blushing. "I can still feel her warmth in my arms, her lips on mine... I can still feel her under my skin!"

"And what´s her name?" Claire asked, unable to hide a smile... Her biggest concern was Tara being all alone... Her daughter had always been so quiet and reserved... Tara smiled that same smile Willow loved so much and sighed.

"Willow... Willow is special... With one glance, I knew I was hers... She taught me that even someone like me could be loved... She made me feel desired, beautiful... I really wanted you to know her…"

Claire smiled too, watching her daughter´s shinning eyes. "Willow completed me... She is my best friend, girlfriend, and lover... my soul mate... "

"No. .."

Tara turned to her mother, her eyes wide. "What you mean, 'no'? This is the only thing I was sure in life!”

The woman took a deep breath... her mission had just begun... It was her task to tell Tara the truth...

"No, baby girl... You can´t have a soul mate, cause you don´t have a complete soul... "



See you next chapter

[Zampsa1975]

Yay for great update-y goodness... I wonder what Claire ment by Tara not having a complete soul... Maybe she still thinks she is part demon... I hope Tara can educate Claire on that subject...

PS: I hope you liked the story I sent you...

[BuffyFan4ever]

WHAT!!!!!

Please update soon. I need to know what she means.

[sapphoselene]

Holy crap.... uuhh .... Damn you got me hook, line, and sinker... I will be waiting for the next update with bated breath.

[Nue]

Zampsa1975: thanks for that story! I really enjoyed reading it ^^

BuffyFan4ever: I hope you like this chapter too ^^

sapphoselene: oh, thanks for reading ^^ but I´m afraid Claire explanations will have to wait until next chapter…




TITLE: "My Heart Draws a Dream"

AUTHOR: Nue

RATING: R

DISCLAIMER: they belong to other people, like ME, Joss and FOX, but I promise take good care of them ^ ^

SUMMARY: Tara wakes up in a version of Sunnydale after being shot. Willow tries to recover after losing her girlfriend. The Scoobies prepare to face First Evil.

SPOILERS: S6~S7

EMAIL: nuetsukiyono@hotmail.com

FEEDBACK: I´d like to ^^



Chapter 4

“A hundred days have made me older. Since the last time that I saw your pretty face. A thousand lies have made me colder. And I don't think I can look at this the same. But all the miles that separate. They disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face” – Here without you – 3 Doors Down


Willow woke up frightened again ... She had dreamed of Tara. That beautiful dream where they made love. And it ended with a smiling Tara with a hole in her chest.

Why she kept having this nightmare? Why she had to remember how Tara had been taken from her arms?

Life wasn´t fair ...

She stared at the pink ceiling. Willow had spent three months trying to improve herself and learn about the power she had. And now that she was home, she had no idea what to do. Would she return to college next week? But Willow saw no more sense in studying. University would be dull without meeting Tara after classes, without their picnics when the weather was nice. Without their stolen kisses in the rush of tests or their make out sessions in empty classrooms ...

Willow felt so alone now. She thought that at any minute now, Tara would come into her room.

She hugged her pillow, feeling she was going to start crying again. When Willow was in England, she wasn´t left alone. Maybe they thought she would do something silly. Early in her stay at Westbury, Willow thought about dying every second she was awake. The redhead didn´t feel worthy to continue living.

But as she learned more about the Goddess and the Earth, Willow realized she couldn´t die. She had to repair all the damage she caused by her actions.

But without Tara, everything was so hard ...

Then, there were only tears. Nobody could take away her right to cry ...

***

Buffy was in the kitchen, making a fresh pot of coffee. She had spent all night awake, wondering what had happened at the cemetery. She tried to call Giles, but the Watcher didn´t answer the phone. The time zone didn´t help and every time the Slayer looked at the clock, she mentally did the math to know what time was in England.

Being the last weekend of vacation Buffy left Dawn sleep in. The night had been busy and Dawn hadn´t Buffy´s metabolism, who needed little sleep.

She sat in one of the stools in the kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee. After what she had seen the night before, Buffy felt the terror growing back within herself. The events of last May were too desperate and everything that Buffy didn´t want was to go through it again.

Willow was her oldest friend. Buffy has always been a popular girl, but she knew about friendship when she moved to Sunnydale. Usually Willow was not the kind of person Buffy would befriend with, but the Slayer knew that the redhead was special. And Willow just proved herself over the years..

The point was that Buffy was the Slayer. She knew she wouldn´t have survived so long without the Scoobies. And she knew that since Willow had become their Big Gun, Buffy has become dependent of her. She closed her eyes to her friend´s growing addiction, her misuse of magic...
But Buffy needed her .. And she needed even more Willow´s power.

Buffy never liked magic. Magic was something she didn´t understand nor dominated. Magic had facilitated their lives and helped to defeat Big Bads ...

Magic took Tara from Willow

Magic took Willow from Buffy.

Buffy hated Magic ...

Sighing, she picked up the phone again and dialed Giles´s number for the hundredth time that early morning.

No answer.

The Slayer threw the phone away and concentrated on her cup of coffee. And for one second, she wished that this were just the beginning of another summer day...

***

The Watchers´ Academy was located in a building dating from the early nineteenth century in Hampshire. Future Watchers worldwide went there to study, to learn, before being sent back to begin their journeys.

It was an honor to be invited to study at that school. Greatest honor was to watch any of Rupert Giles´ lectures. The British Watcher´s fame reached proportions that even he didn´t knew about.. And as he himself acknowledged, much of that reputation was the result of his Slayer being Buffy Summers.

Since he was a little boy, Giles learned that every Slayer needed a Watcher, but with Buffy, Giles learned just the opposite. Buffy no longer needed him, or any supervision. She didn´t need an old English man to give her orders and rules.

This was the main reason for Giles leaving the U.S. His Slayer no longer needed him and he had nothing to teach her.

Giles never saw herself as a teacher. When Quentin Travers invited him to be a speaker at the Academy, the Watcher thought of declining his invitation. He had agreed because he thought he could make a difference. Like Buffy had helped him to break the Council´s secular tenets, maybe he could show to future Watchers that their work wasn´t about the rules.

After an entire morning of classes, Giles was ready for the long trip back. He was tired, he had left Willow at Heathrow and had gone straight to the Academy. The Watcher was getting too old for that kind of thing. But he had already taken the hard decision to leave the fieldwork, if Giles left the Council for good, he didn´t know what he would do with his life. Being a Watcher ran in his blood, he didn´t know another life. And although attractive, being retired in Westbury, taking care of the horses didn´t suit him.

His lazy steps were interrupted by a sound behind him. He turned to see who disturbed the silence of the hallways and saw a boy running towards him, calling his name. The boy caught up in seconds and Giles waited patiently for him to regain his breath.

"Professor Giles ... I have a message for you ... "The guy said, Giles noticed his Eastern European accent. "Director Travers is at the principal's office and he asks for your presence."

***

After her morning meditation and a cold shower, Willow went downstairs for breakfast. She didn´t feel hungry, but Giles had made her promise she would eat in a regular base. During the time she spent in England, Giles was no longer that distant , wise Watcher and he became a close, paternal friend, her confidant. Maybe he saw himself in Willow...
Her parents were sitting at the table when she entered the kitchen. Ira was entertained with newspaper and Sheila was making pancakes.

"Funny shapes or round ones?"

Willow muttered a 'good morning' and poured herself some coffee. Sorry Giles... Her stomach was so wrapped up, she doubted she could eat anything.

"Your mother and I are going to Seattle for a conference... You'll be okay by yourself?" Ira said, leaving the newspaper aside and looking at his daughter. Willow was no longer a girl with big, curious green eyes. Now those same eyes bore a sorrow so great that Ira wondered if it was only the youth´s typical exaggeration, who always thought a break up was the end of everything.. But he had no right to ask. Ira barely knew the girl, he knew little of her friends and hobbies. Who he thought he was to ask about her personal life?

"If you want, we can cancel our participation." Sheila said, putting a plate with a stack of pancakes on the table. Willow seemed to love pancakes, she always found pancake mix in the fridge when she returned home..
"What I said last night is true, Willow... We want to be part of your life, be a family.”

The surprises did not seem to end. What would happen now? A giant Dawn destroying Tokyo? No, laws of physics didn´t allow giant humans. But these laws have proved invalid when that bullet pierced Tara´s heart ...

Seeing that her parents expected an answer, "I know you guys are trying, but I wouldn´t feel good about myself if you won´t do your job because of me.. If there's one thing you taught me was I shouldn´t be selfish. It´s selfishness keeping you here. Classes start soon and besides, I have to go home.. Buffy and Dawn will be there, I won´t be alone... " The redhead took a deep breath and gave them a smile, "When you return, we can do something together, you know, like a family ... "

Sheila and Ira Rosenberg realized then that their little girl had grown into an amazing woman. And they were more willing to know her...

***

Dawn was on the couch watching cartoons and eating cereal when the phone rang. The Slayer was still in the kitchen, thinking about telling Xander about what happened last night. When Willow left Sunnydale, Xander began rebuilding the High School, and became Mr. Unavailable. Perhaps what happened on the cliff had affected him more than Buffy imagined.

She answered the phone and was happy to hear Giles´ voice. Buffy needed an advice from her Watcher.

"Something terrible has happened...” The British began, his talk with Quentin wasn´t pretty. "I know .." Buffy interrupted, "I'm trying to reach you since yesterday, but you decided it's fun to not return my calls...", she added, her humorous tone disguised her concern.

"So you already know? It's worse than I thought... "

"Giles ... We sent Willow to the Coven to get help... Now she's out there killing people again!"

The Watcher was silent. The High Priestess of Coven of Devon, Ms. Harkness, said the Coven had done everything possible to help Willow. She herself said that the witch was a brilliant student, despite her fear of using magic. When Willow wanted to return to the U.S., Giles made sure Giles made sure she was good enough to come back... Ms. Harkness wanted Willow to stay and take the opportunity to improve her skills, but she couldn´t force her to stay.

"Buffy ... I'll catch the next plane to Sunnydale ...," Giles sounded so disappointed. "Willow is in her parents' house... Be careful ... "






see you next chapter...

[Zampsa1975]

Yay for great update-y goodness... I hope the Scoobies don't do anything too stupid when they figure out what's happening... I hope Tara very soon reconnects with Willow...

PS: I'm really glad that you liked the story I sended to you. That is one of my favorite stories...