FIC:Taras Secret

[Ralf Quimby <ralf.quimby@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

TITLE: Taras Secret
AUTHOR: Ralf Quimby
ARCHIVE:Be my guest. Just let me know
DISCLAIMER:Joss invented the people, place, and things.
SPOILERS: Something Blue,Goodbye Iowa,Who Are You



Taras Secret

Buffy was having a rough night. She had already staked ten vampires
and was now fighting a nasty demon. She got behind it grabbed its head
and twisted.

"Oh, yuck! It slimed me. These clothes will never be the same." she
started to go back to the dorm, but changed her mind and went to
Giles.

"Hey, Giles, I don't feel so good." she got out before she collapsed
on his floor. He felt her head. She had a raging fever. He called the
others over and explained what little he knew.

"Slimed?" asked Xander. "I came by way of Cemetery six to get here.
There was a dead demon that seemed slimy."

"What did it look like?" demanded the watcher.

"Horns, sharp scales, slime." described Xander. "It looked like it's
philosophy was scratch and slime."

Giles took a book of a shelf and showed a page to Xander. "Is it this
one?"

"Yes!"

"I was afraid of that." Giles grimaced. "That is a Tmoni demon. Their
slime is poisonous, with no known cure. She has about a day before it
kills her."
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Willow went back to the dorm crying.

"Willow what's wrong?" asked her girlfriend. "You look like your best
friend died."

"Not Yet." was the wailed response. "She killed a Tmoni demon, and now
its killing her."

"Oh, Willow! I am sorry. I know how much you care for her." Tara had
a sad look on her face. "Believe me, I know."
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"Willow! Where is my Willow?" Buffy was delirious. "I need my Willow!"

Giles picked up his phone and called Willow. "She is calling for you.
I think you should come right over."
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Willow hung up the phone. "She is calling for me! I have got to go."

She ran out of the dorm with Tara on her heels.

"Giles!" the red head demanded. "How is she?"

"Not good, I'm afraid. She does seem to be waking up."

"Hey Buffy." Willow has a big fake smile on her face. "How are you
feeling?"

"Willow?" asked a confused Buffy. "Where are you? Turn on a light,
please. I want to see you, my love."

"The light is on." whispered Willow. "Oh Buffy."

"Thats okay." responded the slayer. "I did want to see you once before
I died. Hold me please."

Willow held Buffy until fell asleep.

In the other room Xander blinked. "Tara, for a second, I could have
sworn you looked just like Buffy. My eyes must be playing tricks on
me."

"No, Xander." The blond Wiccan responded. "No trick."

Willow walked into the room crying. {Am I in love with Buffy? Am I in
love with Tara. I wish I...}

"Willow?" asks Tara.

Willow collapses in her arms crying. "I love her. And now she is
dying."

This time Giles saw it too, for a second as Willow declared her love
for Buffy, Tara looked exactly like Buffy.

"Tara, who..what are you?" he demanded.

Tara sighed. "I am a figment of Willows imagination. My first memory
is her saying 'I wish someone would love me'."

"So when you said you were mine..?" realized Willow.

"I was speaking the literal truth." continued Tara.

Willow looked at the others. "I made that wish as part of the 'My will
be done spell'. I thought I had canceled all the effects of that
spell."

"She wasn't in the same room when you canceled it, so she wasn't
effected." explained Giles. "This does explain why you are stronger
when Tara helps. She is most of your power."

"I was afraid that demon detecting spell would detect me." confessed
Tara. "Now go heal your love. You are strong enough for that."

"But what about you?" asked Giles. "It will take a strong spell to do 
that, and if you...?"

"How could I live knowing that Willows true love died to keep me
'alive'?" sobbed the blond. "I don't even exist!"

"Why did you look like Buffy?" asked Xander. "If you are part of
Willow?"

"Who do you think I was thinking of when I made that wish?" asked
Willow, finally accepting the truth. "Tara, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." reassured Tara. "My life, while short, has been happy.
Now, please, go save the one you love, not her reflection." She
suddenly looked like Buffy.

Willow walked into the room where Buffy lay dying. The sound of
chanting was heard. Tara looked sad and started to fade. When the
chanting stopped, there was no Tara.

"Buffy, please wake up." Willow pleaded. "I did the best I could. I
love you!" She started to cry but stopped when she felt the hand she
was holding grip hers.

"Hey, Willow." Buffy looked and sounded tired, but recovering. "Don't
cry, please. I love you."

And in the back of her mind Buffy heard Tara whisper "Please, take care
of her."