Like Other Girls...

Okay, so I finally finished the next chapter to the story. Lele Angel, you are one lucky girl. Toria never could get me to update this one. Lol, enjoy.

Tara looked off in the direction that Buffy had gone, convinced that she should have gone after her sister. Willow seemed just as torn, wanting to know what was going on and wanting to give the blonde space, and also wanting to attempt to comfort Buffy. Reason won out, though, that to comfort the girl, they’d need to know what was happening. “Maybe we should sit.” She offered quietly.

Faith had them over at a secluded bench on the Quad before either of them knew it, and sat there on the grass in front of Tara, waiting expectantly with a frown on her face. “C’m’on Blondie. Ya know we don’t bite. This is buggin’ the shit outta me, and I’m pretty sure that B’ll bitch at me if I ask her, or even say somethin’ wrong.” Tara still seemed hesitant. “Ya said that Buffy was blamed for the fire. What the fuck is up with Darla saying that a girl was trapped inside?”

“I s- said that B- Buffy and a-a-another girl were b-blamed.” Tara whispered, turning away. “It’s j-just that no… no-one knows wh-who the other g-girl is.” Willow and Faith both seemed confused by that, and it was still another moment before Tara brought herself to speak again. “S-Someone saw a g-girl running from the b-building j-just after the s-smoke started c-coming out. No-one c-could figure out wh-who she was. B-Buffy said she d- didn’t know there was someone else i-in there.” Tara looked doubtful, and sorrowfully glanced again in the direction Buffy had gone. With another sigh, she turned to look at Faith. “The sch-school thinks that one o-of them started the f-fire. N- no-one could p-prove Buffy did it, s- so they think th-that if there was another g-girl, she d-did it, and B-Buffy really w-was just t-trying to put it out.” Faith looked surprised, and nodded.

“You don’t think Buffy didn’t know about the other girl?” Willow finally asked.

“I… I d-don’t know.” Tara whispered. “B-but people, in the r-rumors afterward s-said Buffy was t-trying to s-set the girl on fire inside.”

“That why B freaked, about Darla saying she’d set your dad on fire?” Faith asked bluntly.

Tara shook her head though, sniffling. “No. The, uh, the last time we saw D- D- Dad… he and Mom w-were h-having an ar- argument. A- about him ch-cheating on Mom. He said… he said Mom d-drove him away. He… he said th- that,” Willow took Tara’s hand as the girl struggled through attempting to be understood in her nervous, and obviously sad state. “that she m-made one re-retarded daughter wh-who could do nothing but stammer… that she d-drove his perfect daughter to a-arson… and th-that it was her fault that he f- found someone else.” Tara scowled. “He… he never…. Mom always believed th-that Buffy didn’t d-do it. D- Dad was con-convinced that she d-did. She… She told h-him that B-Buffy did n- no such th-thing, and th-that I’m not re-retarded. I s-stopped listening a-after that.”

Faith looked contemplative, confused, and surprised as she thought all that over, and Willow squeezed Tara’s hand in comfort. “You’re not, you know. I know you’re not.” Willow whispered softly, seeing the tears starting to glaze the blonde’s eyes.

“Course she’s not retarded. Damn if she’s not smarter’n most.” Faith said absently. “Fuck… Darla really hit it close. Seems the bitch’s good at that.” Her eyes turned cold. “Should’a hit her harder.”

“Faith…” Willow said with a frown, then turned back to Tara. “Listen, you know he wasn’t right. He probably doesn’t even think that. He was just angry cause he didn’t want to be responsible for what he did.”

“He a- always thought that.” Tara affirmed, frowning. “And I know I’m n-not. H- he just th-thought that c-cause I c-could barely speak a- around him.” Willow looked curious, and Faith seemed to be paying partial attention again. “I… I w-went to a c- counselor when I w- was th-thirteen. He… he thought my d- dad’s the cause for m-my stutter. D- Dad always t-treated me like l- leftovers. B- Buffy was his p- perfect b-baby. Sh- she was always p-popular, and beautiful, and girly, and e- everything he though his d- daughter should be. I was sh-shy, from the st-start, and n-never tried out for ch- cheerleading, or anything like th-that. D- Dad mostly ig-ignored me, and just f- frowned when he d- didn’t. The c- counselor d-didn’t help my st- stutter, so they took me out. Then I m- met Spike. He… he was so sw- sweet, and beat up a b- boy that was picking on m- me for my st- stutter.” Tara chuckled sadly. “I d- didn’t really w- want to go out w- with him at f- first, but he just s- stuck around, and D- Dad hated him. S- So I went out on a d- date once, and he was always j- just so sweet. Buffy doesn’t like him, b- but she never t- tried to break us up, especially a- after my stutter started to go away. H- He told me h- himself that he’s positive B- Buffy didn’t s- start the fire.”

“Bleach-boy’s even sure B didn’t do it?” Faith looked shocked, and stared at Tara. “They hate each other.”

“He doesn’t h- hate her.” Tara defended. “He j- just doesn’t much like that she doesn’t like him. He’d get along with her if she were nice to him.” Tara shook her head. “And he was there. He’s the one that s- saw the other girl run out of the b- building.”

“Hmph.” Faith grumbled and looked off in the direction that Buffy had gone. “Why’d Darla think that B has a thing for me? B’s straight.”

“I don’t know.” Tara whispered, smiling shyly. “I… I think she… I don’t know. Buffy’s all b-but told me she’s bi.” Faith spun so quickly her hair flew into her face. “J- just recently I mean.”

“All but told you.” Willow asked, turning bright red. She’d finally let go of Tara’s hand, and was looking away.

“It doesn’t matter.” Tara shrugged and wiped the last remaining tears from her eyes, glad that she hadn’t broken down. “I think I’ve given her enough space. I g- gotta find her.”

“I’ll help you.” Willow offered. “Don’t worry, I’ll leave if I need to.”

Faith stood, then seemed to hesitate. “Listen, this heart-to-heart shit ain’t my deal. I’d just love to help, but…”

“It’s okay… I think she’s just going to want to d- distract herself.” Tara offered. “Buffy just doesn’t t- talk about the f- fire and D- Dad.”

TBC