Sequel to Forgotten Conscience, Faith attempts to deal with the consequences of the events after the battle with Omega. But how well will she do? And what will her friends do to help her? Ranked #5 in Buffy.
I turn down the hall to Willow and Tara's place, following B.
She got away with it. She got away with not telling me what's going on, again. I know it's not her fault. Something's going on with Willow and I wanna be there for her just as much as B. Willow's my friend and she's Buffy's best friend, I'll help any way I can. Especially after the things she's done for me in the past. But that still doesn't fix things with B and I. Something's going on, something big, maybe even end of the world big I dunno, and she's keeping me in the dark because it's got something to do with Dawn.
But the question becomes, why? Dawn's a nobody. I mean I love her like a little sister but she's no one important. She's just a naive, kinda weird little kid. There's no way I'm letting this go, especially if it puts Dawn in danger. But for now I gotta focus on someone else... Willow. I get the impression from the side of the conversation I was in on that Willow didn't say much of anything, that she cried so much she really couldn't form complete sentences. I know what that's like. I just don't know what would cause Willow to be in that much pain.
"So, did she say anything?"
"Hmm?"
Again with the avoiding.
"On the phone, did Willow say anything about what was wrong?"
"Oh, no... she didn't."
"Like you'd tell me anyway."
We make it to just outside Willow's dorm room and she turns to me.
"Faith, don't do this. Not now."
"Do what?"
"We're here for Willow. Can't we just, leave our own problems out here? So we can deal with Willow's problems in there?"
I just look at her for a second before rolling my eyes.
"Fine, whatever you want B... again."
All of the sudden the look on her face changes, like she just realized I'm never gonna let this go.
"Faith I know you and I have a lot to talk about, and I want to talk with you about it. But we can't do that and leave Willow in there in the condition she's probably in."
Boy, did I not need a lecture right now.
"I said it was cool B, whatever..."
"Faith..."
"Oh for crap's sake B..."
I move past her, knocking her shoulder into mine as I get to the door. I knock on the door to Willow's room and in seconds the door swings open.
"Tara?"
The glimmer of hope in Willow's eyes quickly disappears as she realizes it's us.
Shouldn't Tara be here with her? Unless this is about Tara...
"Willow, what's wrong?"
Oh good one B. Blunt enough for ya?
Then, the unthinkable happens. Willow all but jumps into my arms, wrapping her own around me as she starts crying into my shoulder.
"Faith... oh Faith thank god you guys are here."
I put my arms around Red slowly, not entirely sure what to do.
I don't usually get this close to people I'm not bonking, probably why I never had friends before coming to Sunnydale. But after falling for B and everything that's happened since then, I can honestly say I don't think of Willow 'that way'. Which makes this situation I'm in totally new territory, but I'll do my best.
"It's okay Red... we're here to help."
"Whatever you need."
I look at B, then up and down the hall.
Maybe we shouldn't do this out here in the open.
"Come on Red, let's go inside and you can tell us all about what happened okay?"
"O-okay..."
"Okay..."
I pull her rather strong grip off me slightly to lead her back inside her room. B follows close and shuts the door behind us. We move over to the bed and sit down, B and I on either side of Red. B puts her hand on Willow's shoulder.
"What happened?"
"T-Tara... she's... she's gone..."
What?
"What do you mean gone?"
"She... l-left, m-me..."
"Left you?"
"S-she left t-town..."
"Why?"
"Because of me..."
Because of her?
"What do you mean?"
"I m-made her leave me."
"I'm sure you didn't MAKE her leave you."
"No, I did... it's all my fault."
Buffy puts her arms around Willow, hugging her tight.
That doesn't make any sense.
"Why would Tara say something like that?"
"She... it was the s-spell."
Buffy pulls back a bit.
"The spell?"
She looks Buffy in the eyes and it dawns on us.
The spell?
I don't know what to say, but B does.
"Oh..."
"She said after everything that's happened, she's not sure who she is anymore. She needed time alone to figure it out and that she couldn't do that with me around, so she left."
Oh...
"I-if I hadn't... hadn't done the s-spell... Tara wouldn't have left me."
I don't have any idea what to do, or say.
"She... she didn't want to do the spell but... but she did... she did it for me..."
And Willow didn't listen to her for me. She brought Buffy back for me, and it cost her Tara. God how much more screwed up can this get?
Willow starts crying again and all B and I can do is look at her as we fail to make it better.
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