Part 08
"I never want to move from here again," Willow said.
Tara answered with a sleepy, throaty, sigh.
They drifted off to sleep.
A distant clock chimed in the midnight.
Willow's subconscious thought it'd heard something, she frowned and woke up a part of her mind.
A choir.
She was about to wake Tara when she felt her love move. Then abruptly sat up.
"What's the matter, love," Willow asked.
There were tears in Tara's eyes. "I-i-i didn't know it'll be this soon," she choked.
Willow felt a chill up her spine, the same chill as that day when they found out about the illness.
"No, no, no," her entire body was shaking. "No, you said you're really here, and I'm not dreaming. I ⦠no."
"Will, listen to me. I said I'll tell you when it's time," Tara said, her voice trembling too.
Willow was still shaking. "Time? What time?" But she knew what the answer would be.
"They're coming for me," Tara breathed.
"They? Who are they? Whatever they are, they'll have to come through me first," Willow said through clenched teeth. She threw the covers off and pulled herself up.
Tara's hand on her arm gently pulled her back. "No. You can't fight them, just like you can't fight nature. Remember what we talked about. Remember your promise."
"How can I now? After what just happened? You expect me to continue my life without you?"
"Yes, darling. You've done so much good, you have to carry on," Tara whispered as she stroked Willow's cheeks, tracing the path of the tears that are still flowing unchecked.
"How can I? Eventually the demon will forget you and Iâll destroy worlds again."
"Have faith. Iâll come back to you," and with that Tara leant in and gave Willow a deep kiss.
There was chanting now, Willow could hear it more clearly.
She cupped Tara's face in her hands and returned the kiss. "Do you promise? Promise me you'll come back to me."
"I promise," Tara said as she stood up. Willow could see faint shapes nearing the Sanctum now, and Tara herself seemed to be growing in luminescence. Their hands were joined, but she could feel Tara's hand becoming lighter.
"I keep my promises, my love. Will you keep yours?" she asked the beautiful blue eyes.
The music stopped and she looked around to see herself and Tara surrounded by children. Angels.
Tara opened her hand and Willow saw that it held a small seed. With her other hand, Tara opened Willow's hand and placed the seed reverently in Willow's palm. She closed the fist, brought it up to her lips and gave it a lingering kiss.
"Yes, my love," Tara said. "I will keep my promise. I love you, Willow. Take this seed and bury it with me, let it grow in the earth that holds my essence. I know you have secured the space so it will never be touched. When it's time, I will return to you."
"When?" Willow's whisper was hardly audible.
Tara was fading away. She could only smile as the angels began their song again. Her last touch to Willow was when she place the gentlest of kiss on Willow's lips.
And then she was gone.
Willow woke up, felt like she woke up, and she hurt everywhere. There was pain and anger, her demon demanded violence.
When it's time, I will return to you.
Her demon was gathering her deepest, darkest black magic in a fit of rage. She needed something to throw.
She opened her fist and saw the seed.
Her demon whimpered as it was calmed.
Take this seed and bury it with me, let it grow in the earth that has my essence.
She called out silently to her lost love.
*****
The sun rose the next day to find a small forlorn vampire kneeling in the shade of a large oak tree by a freshly dug grave.
She wove a protective spell around her and gently, with her bare hands, dug a small hole in the ground next to the grave.
She seemed to be saying a prayer, but it was too soft for any ears but her own. After the prayer was finished, she laid a small seed inside the hole and covered it with the earth again.
She returned to her perch underneath the large oak tree, wrapped herself up tighter in her coat, and sat to watch vigil over her love.
We're forever, Tara.
*****
The End
