FF: Love and Sorrow

["sam stoltz" <shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Love and Sorrow
by
Sam	

email: shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxxxxxx 
Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own them (sad face); Joss does. I 
am only taking them out to play for a while and will return them when 
done. 
Spoilers: all episodes and hidden subtext are open for grabs. 
Archive: Gary, Bill, Quin, all others feel free to post them just 
send me an Email to let me know.
Pairing: B/T 
Notes: Sequel to The slayer's secret and second installment in the 
Slayer`s Dilemma series. Willow questions everything following 
Buffy's revelation of her and tara's relationship. Hope you enjoy.

......................................................................
Willow sat in front of her lap top attempting to work on the term 
paper that was due in two weeks but it was useless, she couldn't get 
Buffy out of her mind. Every since her best friend in the entire 
world had announced that she Was in love with Tara, Willow found 
herself constantly thinking about the slayer and their 
relationship. She was now questioning everything about her 
relationship with the slayer, all the times throughout the years that 
Buffy had said I love you came flashing through her mind. She found 
her self wondering if the slayer had meant more by her words than the 
friendship she had always assumed. <had she been given a chance for 
the slayers love and missed it>. 

Willow didn't hear the door to the room open or see Buffy come in 
from patrol, It was only when she heard Buffy ask if she was OK that 
she snapped out of the daze she was in.

"Y-yeah, I was just thinking."

"About what?" 

Willow just sat there for a second she knew that she couldn't 
honestly answer the question so her mind raced to come up with a 
answer, "Term paper....I'm having trouble writing this term paper, 
that's all."

Buffy looked at Willow and knew that her best friend was lying, but 
she didn't know what to do about it, and that worried her. She 
wanted to help Willow but for some reason every time she asked what 
was wrong her friend made up some excuse or quickly changed the 
subject, it now was very clear to Buffy that this time she wasn't 
going to be the one to help Willow.

Buffy tossed her backpack on the floor next to her bed and started 
searching through the closet for a shirt to wear. As she did Willow 
noticed the rather large tear in the back of her shirt that was caked 
in dry blood. "You've been hurt."

Buffy turned to Willow and saw deep concern and something else that 
she couldn't quite place in her friends face, "It's OK, only a minor 
scratch, It's already starting to heal. I`ll be fine," reassured 
Buffy.

"You positive."

"Absolutely, slayers honor." replied Buffy lifting her right hand up 
as to take a oath.

Buffy then removed the torn shirt and tossed it in the trash can and 
once again began searching for a shirt to wear. Willow's eyes were 
locked on the slayer as she thought how soft the blondes skin 
seemed. She quickly turned her head towards the computer staring 
blankly at the screen, wondering what was going on with her.
......................................................................

Tara answered the door to find Buffy standing their smiling that warm 
gentle smile of hers, "H-hi, want to come in."

"Yeah," replied Buffy stepping into the room and closing the door 
behind her.

Buffy wrapped her arms around Tara and the blond Wicca began to run 
her hands down the slayers back until she felt her love flinch. Tara 
took a step back away from Buffy and looked into her yes,
"Y-y-your h-hurt."

Buffy placed her hands gently on Tara's shoulder, "It's OK 
sweetheart, all it is a few scratches." 

"L-let me be the judge of that...s-s-how me."

Buffy turned away from her girlfriend and lifted up the back of her 
shirt revealing a series of several scratches and a long thin gash 
accrosed the small of her back. Tara felt a lump form in her throat 
as she gazed at the slayers back and cursed the night for what it had 
done to the girl who had become her world. 

Tara took a moment to gather her thoughts then she spoke her voice 
barely loud enough for Buffy to hear, "L-lay down...I'm going to put 
some herbal cream...on those cuts."

Buffy turned around and saw the love and concern for her in Tara's 
eyes, so she walked over to the bed and laid down on her stomach. As 
Tara tenderly applied the healing cream to her back Buffy felt tears 
forming, as she thought about what her and Tara had, <I must have 
done something right to have found Tara and been given her love>

After Tara had finished Buffy sat up on the bed and motioned for Tara 
to sit next to her. She then rested her head on Tara's 
shoulder, "Have I told you to day how much I am hopelessly in love 
with you."

Tara heard the deep sincerity in Buffy's voice as she made a 
declaration of her love, Tara rested her head on the slayers 
forehead and softly spoke, her voice filled with the same deep 
sincerity, "I l-love you Buffy.....love y-you more than 
a-anything....in the w-world."
......................................................................

Willow glazed out the window wondering what Buffy and Tara were doing 
as tears streamed down her cheeks. She thought about Buffy and how 
foolish she had been, she realized now that she was in love with her 
best friend, she had been for a long time but had been to afraid to 
admit it. However none of that mattered anymore, she had waited to 
long and it had cost her the only thing she wanted in the whole 
world, Buffy. Willow felt her legs start to quiver, then she 
dropped to her knees holding onto the window sill like it was a life 
line as she began to openly weep. A wave of anguish swept through 
her heart, she loved Buffy, Buffy loved Tara, and there was nothing 
she could do to change that. <Why did I have to wait so long to admit 
that I love her>.