That Night
by will
[reviews]
Disclaimers: I not own "Buffy" etc.
Authors Notes: " " said [ ] thought
Also this was my first attempt at a fanfic, so I know this really isn't up to par. Maybe if i get some time I will go back and fix all the errors adn such :)
That Night
Willow's eyes searched around Buffy and hers' dorm room. Everything was perfect, the room was cleaned up, and movies were set out, the movie fest ready to begin. [Now the only thing missing is Buffy] Knock! Knock! Willow looked at the door, "Just a minute." She knew it wasn't Buffy, Buffy wouldn't have knocked. Willow opened the door and there stood Xander who looked like he was going to be the bearer of bad news.
" What's wrong Xander?" Willow asked, immediately worried.
"Willow something happened...."
"What?" Willow froze thinking [Oh god! Not Buffy please not now!]
"Umm..."
"Xander, please just tell me what happened." Willow said needing to know. Xander spoke five words before Willow fainted. While on patrol tonight Buffy...*******************************************************
Buffy walked through the cemeteries watching for any signs of life, or non-life in the case of the vampires. Just when she was about to call it a night she noticed that in a group of bushes there was a body. She rushed over to see if the person was still alive when she recognized the blond face.
****************************************************
Part 2
Xander caught Willow before she fell to the ground and put her on her bed.
" Jeez Willow, I thought you were a light weight." He went over to the phone and dialed Giles' cell phone number. "Giles how is she? I was telling her, but she fainted before I could tell her everything. Okay. When she wakes up we'll get to the hospital, I'm sure she will want to see her. Bye."
[Will I'm so sorry this has happened.]
********************************************************
Giles entered the hospital room and stared at the familiar blond head that lay unconscious on the hospital bed.
[Dammit! How could this have happened, she knew that it was dangerous to go out at night. Willow is going to be so upset.]
Just then, a nurse walked into the room and started to check the girl's vitals. "How is she?"
"The same." Answered the nurse, "The doctor said that the longer she stays like this the less chance there is of her waking up." With that said the saddened man put his head in his hands.
*********************************************************
Buffy Summers looked at the figure in the hospital bed and sighed.
[What was Tara doing out at night alone? Why wasn't I there to protect her? If I had been faster I could have saved her. What if I had started patrol earlier? Oh God what if Willow had been with her?]
Buffy got a disgusted look on her face. [How can I think about that right now? I am a horrible person for being glad that Willow wasn't there to get hurt.]
Giles came into the room shortly followed by a nurse. She looked at Buffy waiting for the young woman to move, when she didn't the nurse worked around the younger woman. Buffy wasn't about to move, she had let Tara and Willow down tonight and she wasn't about to let anything else happen to Tara. She was so far into her thoughts she didn't even notice when Giles asked the nurse a question. She stayed so tuned into the thoughts and blame running in her head she also didn't notice when she spoke out loud,
"Where are Willow and Xander?" Buffy turned her head up sharply when she heard a reply to her supposedly unvoiced question.
"Willow fainted when Xander told her what happened." Giles was about to continue but one look at Buffy assured him that she wouldn't of heard him.
[Oh God! I caused Willow to faint. Damn! How could I let this happen! I just ruined two peoples lives ...]*****************************************************
Willow blinked when she saw the face staring at her. "Xander? What's going on?" Xander looked relieved.
"Will, man you gave me a bit of a scare." His face suddenly looked sad, remorseful. "Uh Willow do you remember what I was saying before you fainted?"
"Something about..." Pausing trying to remember, "Oh my God! Buffy! Xander what happened to Buffy!"
"Willow calm down, like I said while on patrol tonight Buffy... she umm, well she kinda..."
"Xander just say what happened!"
"On patrol tonight Buffy came across Tara and ..."
[I wanted to talk to Buffy about Tara and I tonight during the movies.]
"So... what happened?" Willow asked the apprehension showing on her face.
"Willow let me finish please this is hard to say.. Buffy was on patrol and she... Tara.. Buffy... found... foundTaralyingunconcsiousontheground."
No response. "She's in the hospital right now in a coma. Are you alright?" No response still.
[Oh God! Tara is in a coma! I have to get to the hospital.]
"Come on let's go to the hospital."
"Alright Wills." [I hope she can deal with seeing Tara.]
******************************************************
Buffy's thoughts stopped immediately when Willow entered the room.
"Willow I am so sorry that this happened. I am so soo sorry that I " Buffy suddenly couldn't talk anymore because a body slammed into her, hugging her tightly.
"It's alright everything is going to be okay", Buffy said trying to soothe her best friend. Willow looked up, trying to find comfort in her best friends eyes.
"Xander told me about how you found her..."
"Willow I'm sorry that I couldn't help her, it's my fault." Buffy held her head down in shame.
"NO! No Buffy if it's anyone's fault it's mine."
"What do you mean Willow?"
"I , two days, um... well two days ago..." Willow looked away unable to tell Buffy everything in front of Xander and Giles.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.......
"Oh no!" Willow exclaimed. Nurses and doctors rushed into the room to try and save Tara.
****************************************************
Willow's head hurt severely. Having Xander walk around with his "my dog got shot" look on his face didn't help all that much either.
[Why is this happening now? Everything was getting on track finally! Oh Tara, I'm so sorry. What am I going to do now?]
Buffy watched Willow and felt unnecessary guilt. [It's my fault. I'm the slayer. I'm supposed to protect innocent people like Tara and I couldn't.]
Giles looked at the three people closest to him in the whole world and felt sorry for them. With Willow he could understand her behavior, even Buffy's , but Xander looked like he was just told that there was no Santa Claus.
Giles decided that Xander needed someone to talk to.
"Xander." The boy looked up meekly. "Xander come with me to get some coffee for everyone." ****************************************************
"CLEAR!" BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE..... "Charge to two-fifty."
"Clear" [Come on damnit!]
" Doctor we have a pulse."
"All right she's stabilized, watch her brain functions. I'll go tell her friends now."
[How do you tell someone's loved ones that someone they care about may never wake up?]*****************************************************
Buffy sat down next to Willow once Giles and Xander left.
"Wills? Are you okay? It's going to be all right. Tara is a fighter. She won't give up, cause she's got you."
"Oh Buffy it's all my fault!" The red head hugged her best friend needing to be comforted more than anything right now. Buffy just held Willow letting her know that she was there for her. "I...look it's my fault that Tara was out there alone!"
"What do you mean Willow?"
"I- " Willow started to reply but stopped when she heard Giles clear his throat announcing his and Xander's presence.
"Here you go Buffy." Giles handed the confused slayer a coffee. "Willow."
*******************************************************
It looked like nothing had been solved while he and Xander were gone.
[Well at least I got Xander to stop looking like an eight year old who was told there was no doggy heaven.]
"Excuse me. I have news." The doctor immediately had everyone's attention. "Tara has been stabilized, but is still in a coma. Like I said before the longer she stays in a coma the less chance there is that she will come out of it."
Willow immediately sat down in the nearest chair and started to cry. Buffy was instantly beside her, holding her.
"It's alright Wills. Everything is going to be okay." [I have to stop acting like this, Tara needs me.]
With that thought Willow stopped crying and asked if Tara could have any visitors. The doctor said that she could. Willow got up and went into Tara's room without a word to anyone. Buffy looked down at the floor. No one could see her face, but if they could they would see that she looked like she had just been struck. Xander saw Buffy look down at the floor.
"How you doing Buff?" asked Xander. He wasn't a big talker but for his friends he would try.
"Fine."
"Man, I felt really bad about bringing Willow the news about Tara." He paused waiting for a response. "I guess I thought that she might get mad at me, plus I just didn't want to tell her bad news."
"Xander she would never get mad."
"I know that now that I stopped freaking, the questions is why do you feel like that? You didn't do anything wrong." Buffy looked at Xander and saw his concern, she gave him a small smile.
"It's hard to explain Xander, the whole slayer thing I guess." Xander smiled at Buffy then gave her his "Harris charm" smile. Giles and Xander left leaving Buffy with her thoughts. Wishing that she were in there with Willow, supporting her.
[Dammit I feel so powerless! My slayerness can't help me now and Willow wants to be alone with Tara!] Buffy put her head in her hands and started softly crying, wanting to be with Willow, to hold her and let her know everything would be all right. [But that's not my place; it's Tara's.] ********************************************************
Willow watched the machines that breathed life into Tara and wondered if the girl would ever wake up. [This isn't fair to Tara. After everything she is still my friend and she doesn't deserve this.] Willow stayed by Tara's hospital bed the whole night just being there for her friend. And although unknown to Willow, Buffy stayed the whole night in the waiting room for Willow.
*********************************************************
Giles walked into the hospital's waiting room and found his slayer asleep in an uncomfortable, hard, plastic chair. The slayer immediately woke up feeling someone watching her.
"Buffy?" The ex-watcher asked, "How is Tara?"
"I don't know, the same I guess I haven't been in to see her, Willow is still in there." Buffy had an aura of sadness about her that Giles knew something was definitely wrong with the slayer.
"Buffy why not? I'm sure that Willow wouldn't mind if you went in."
"It's not that Giles, it's that I don't feel right going in there, after what happened to Tara. I didn't help her Giles. Don't give me that look." The slayer said, seeing Giles disapproving look. "I... just it's hard to explain."
"Okay, let's go get some breakfast. Do you want to go get Willow?" Giles asked trying to cheer the slayer up with the thought of food.
"No lets just leave her here with Tara, she probably wants to stay by her side."
"Buffy, Willow needs food too. Her girlfriend is sick, she doesn't need to become sick either." Buffy tried to hide the look of hurt that flashed across her face at Tara's name. Seeing no reaction from Giles she just gave him a dubious look. *************************************************************
Willow sat in the poorly stuffed hospital chair and watched the small form on the bed that was Tara.
[ She looks so small, like she's hiding. Kind of like when I first met her.]
Willow stayed there the whole night thinking about how Tara and hers relationship had been going along smoothly and how they got along perfectly. There had been only one problem, Buffy, or Willow's feelings for Buffy. That was the one thing that kept coming between Willow and Tara, and inevitably caused their break up. Even though she loved Tara she wasn't IN love with Tara, she was IN love with Buffy though. Willow had been aware of her attraction to the slayer since she first met Buffy but had denied it. The time they spent being roomies had stopped that though. Willow was surround by Buffy's stuff all the time, and was there for when her friend had the dreams about the innocent people she hadn't been able to save. Willow had been in heaven and even had stop being able to stop the smile she got when Buffy entered the room. Even while she was going out with Tara she still got happy feelings when she saw Buffy. And when she realized it she knew she had to break-up with Tara.
[She looked so sad when we broke up, and now here she is. It's all my fault!]
Willow had been thinking of a way to tell Tara and finally just decided to be honest. The end result had been Tara crying softly and Willow trying to control her tears also.
[ She is so sweet, but I just don't love her. And now she..] Willow thoughts continued on like that for quite a while.
********************************************************
Giles watched Buffy. The slayer, who would normally packed away food like a banshee, just sat there staring at the plate of food in front of her.
"Are you all right Buffy? Buffy? BUFFY!" Buffy looked up finally hearing Giles's voice.
"Huh? What did you say?"
"I asked if you were all right." Suddenly Buffy couldn't hold the tears in anymore.
"Giles..... it's not fair. Why did this happen now?" Buffy stopped, sobbing so hard that she couldn't continue. Giles wrapped the shaking girl up in his arms, telling her to calm down and that everything would be all right. "It's just that Willow was finally happy after the whole Oz thing, and now Tara is... is" she had to stop again.
"Buffy I know that you care for Willow's well-being but, it wasn't your fault about what happened with Tara." Buffy looked at Giles.
"I know that, I just feel like I should have protected her for Willow." The look on Buffy's face suddenly cleared up all of the confusion that had been in the waiting room at the hospital. Giles knew that look, like she had let someone she loved down, she felt like she let Willow down.
"Buffy I know how you feel about Willow, and it's perfectly understandable that you feel like you are. But let me say this, and listen carefully, it was not your fault that Tara is in the hospital. Okay?" He gently wiped away the tears form her face with his hankerchief. "Now let's go abck and see how they are."
"How did you know about how I feel about Willow?"
"Buffy she is your best friend, of course you would feel bad about what happened to Tara. Now let's get going." Buffy shook her head yes in agreement before he could think about asking her what she had meant about her feelings for Willow.
[Close one Summers.]
********************************************************
Buffy thought about what Giles and Xander had told her. [I know they are right, but I can't get past letting Willow down. And I know I have to be there for Willow right now.]
Buffy thought about the few minutes she had had alone with Willow since she found Tara. [ Wait. Why did Willow think it was her fault?]
********************************************************
The nurse opened the door, and peered into the room.
[Poor girl sleeping in that chair all night. That is if she got any sleep at all.]
The nurse checked her patient's vitals. "Man you have got to be sore." The nurse said looking at Willow.
"Yeah, kinda. Actually I am sort of used to it."
"And your other friend! Man she must be sore! She fell asleep in one of those hard chairs! I tell you I wouldn't be able to do that."
Willow looked up at the nurse a huge grin on her face, "Yeah she's something. Is she still out there?" Willow ran her hands through her hair, knowing Buffy would come in as soon as possible.
"No. She left with one of your other friends a little while ago."
"Thanks." Willow murmured. The nurse left.
[Buffy stayed the whole night out in the waiting room? And why didn't she say bye?]
*********************************************************
Buffy sat back down into the hard plastic chair. [Well here we are again.]
She quickly debated whether or not to try the floor. [I have sat in this chair for the past twelve hours I feel like I should have a name for it.] Buffy grinned weakly at that thought. [Oh well.] Any further thoughts were cut off because Willow was coming out of Tara's room.
"Hey! I thought you had left."
"Still here and present just left for awhile to get some food. How is Tara?"
"She is as okay as she can be. Heard you slept in a hard plastic chair last night." Willow teased with a smile on her face. "Why don't you go home and get some rest." Buffy turned her head up to look at Willow.
"Hey I am fine. I could go and fight three Masters and a truck of vampires. A plastic chair isn't going to get me down." Buffy looked slightly hurt at Willow's words for her to go.
"All right, all right. I give up stay here and hurt yourself, and then where will we be? Out a slayer, and then who will fight the badies with me huh?" Buffy looked at Willow seriously.
[Never would I leave this woman.]
"Willow, I am not going to leave you here alone." Willow looked back up at Buffy and smiled at her.
"Thanks. You know that your one of my favorite peeps... Buffy I want you to know something, it means a lot to me that you are here with me supporting me."
"Where else would a Buffy shaped person be when her best friend is in a jam?"
"Buffy, seriously, I want to tell you something, but not here. Can we go and talk somewhere?"
"Of course. We can go to the coffee shop across the street."
"How about my house? It's closer and I'm hungry."
"All right."
[That made no sense at all. Just humor me Buffy.]
*********************************************************
Buffy was nervous, Willow kept looking at her, and it was making her feel uneasy. [She must know something is up! I hope she doesn't hate me!]
Meanwhile Willow was thinking the along the same line, sort of. [Oh God how am I going to say this to her? Just go up to her and say: "Hey Buffy you know how Tara is in the hospital? Well guess what, I'm in love with you." Oh yeah that's a great idea Rosenburg! Cause your best friend to run away into the streets screaming.]
Willow went up to the door of her childhood home and let them in.
" My parents are out of town this weekend. So we should be able to talk. Do you want anything to drink or eat?" Buffy's mouth felt like the Sahara, her tongue felling like sand paper against the roof of her mouth.
"Sure. Whatever you have is cool."
Willow went into the kitchen trying to calm her nerves, while Buffy did the same in the living room. [Weird. Of all the places this could happen that it would be here. My parents would freak if they knew what was going on!] Willow walked back out with two sodas.
"Here you are."
"Thanks Wills. So um, what did you want to talk about?" The only thought running through her head was: [Please God! Don't let Willow hate me!]
Willow took a deep breath, and set her glass down on the table.
"Well, Buffy do you remember when we were in the waiting room?" Buffy shook her head yes. "Well do you remember when I was talking about two days ago?" Again Buffy shook her head.
"When you were talking about Tara's coma being you fault?"
"Yes. Two days ago, well three now, but um well anyway. Tara and I, well we ... broke up." Willow looked down no longer able to look into Buffy's eyes.
Buffy let out a breath of air she had unconsciously been holding. [Well at least she doesn't know about my feelings for her.]
"Willow it wasn't your fault. Tara knew that she shouldn't go out at night alone." Buffy tried to put her arms around her friend, but Willow brushed her hands away.
"There's more I was going to tell you this while we were having the movie night... the reason we broke up was... you."
Buffy felt like she had been punched in the gut. She loved Willow, but she never meant for Willow and Tara to break up. Buffy started to speak, but Willow held her hand up.
"Well not you really but, ... my feelings for you." Willow looked up having to see Buffy's face as she said this. "The thing is I ... I love you Buffy. Always have, and some where along the line I started to fall in love with you. Buffy?" Buffy looked at Willow, her heart thudded in her chest. Everything she had wanted to hear had suddenly been told to her by the person she loved most in the world. "Buffy?"
"Will, ..." Buffy said still adjusting. Willow started to cry. "Oh Willow I'm so sorry! I didn't realize that I-" Buffy was cut off as Willow ran from the room into the bathroom and locked the door. "Willow! Come out of the bathroom!"
No reply. "Willow please come out of the bathroom! Come on!"
"NO!"
"Willow. You know I can break down the door." Slowly the door opened. "Why did you do that Willow?"
"Because you probably hate me." Willow said crying.
"Willow I could never hate you. Don't you know that I love you?" Disappointment tore through Willow.
"Yeah. Friend love."
"No Wills, like I love you more then life itself. Like the reason I keep going is because of you. I ...just love you" Buffy stopped losing her control over her emotions and started crying.
"Really?" Buffy nodded. Willow got a huge grin on her face. Willow wiped the tears from Buffy's face. Buffy looked up at Willow hypnotized in her green eyes that shined with love. Buffy and Willow moved in closer, lips parting, eyes closing.
RRRINNNNNGG!!
RRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNG!!
"Dammit!" Buffy got up to answer the phone. "Yes. She did? Okay we're on our way."
"What is it Buffy?"
"Tara. She's woken up." *********************************************************
Giles and Xander met Buffy and Willow outside of Tara's room. The doctor then came up to explain about Tara's condition. "She has woken out of the coma. And she wants to see someone named Willow."
Willow looked over at Buffy, "Can I see her now?"
"Yes, you may, but try not to excite her she needs all of the rest that she can get." Willow went into Tara's room. "The rest of you can see her tomorrow, unless she asks for you. She should be released after we finish with some tests." The doctor walked off, leaving the three remaining people to their own devices.
"Hey Buff are you all right?"
"Actually, Xand I am. I'm doing really good." The three friends sat down to wait for Willow.
*********************************************************
Willow walked into the room her eyes on Tara the whole time.
"Hey. How are you feeling?"
"Well I feel like I got hit by a Mack truck, but other than that." A gentle barely there smile flitted across Tara's face.
"You're going to be fine."
"Yeah that's what the doctors said." The room was filled with beeps.
"So, why were you outside at night?"
"I was trying to think and it wasn't working that well in my dorm room. So I went to take a walk and I got attacked."
"I'm so sorry Tara. I never meant for you to get hurt." Willow started to cry.
"Willow it's all right. It wasn't your fault." Willow looked up and saw the truth of the statement in the girl's eyes. "Can you do something for me?"
"Sure anything."
"Could you get Buffy and tell her I want to see her?"
"Sure." Willow got up to leave.
"Willow?" Willow looked back at Tara. "I hope you're happy with her."
Willow smiled at Tara and left the room.
******************************************************
Buffy saw Willow first and was immediately standing waiting for her love.
"How is she?
"Fine. She wants to see you Buffy."
"Are you sure that's okay?"
"Yeah it will be alright." Willow gave Buffy a quick hug and a reassuring smile, then Buffy walked into the room.
Continued in What Happened After That Night