My One and Only

Chapter 25


"Why do you feel weird about meeting Tara?" Spike asked as he watched his wife brush her hair and tie it back.

"What do you mean why do I feel weird about it? If you recall, she wasn't
Tara. She was something else entirely. Something we drove out of her
body—"

"You drove out of her body," Spike clarified.

"Whatever. The only thing I really know about Tara is what I learned
from her mother."

"Which were all good things."

"Right. But still. I mean the girl was possessed. She was evil. She was on
top of – so yes, I feel weird," she finished on a mutter.

"On top of me," Spike said quietly.

"She doesn't remember it at all?"

Spike shook his head and sauntered over to Buffy, running his fingers
through her hair gently. "No, she doesn't. She was pretty horrified when
she was told what was done. And I can tell you she's most definitely NOT
into me at ALL."

Buffy smirked, "Oh? Her and Willow making up for lost time?"

"If the kiss they shared when they saw each other for the first time since
the whole mess started, yes."

Buffy studied him, a smile tugging on her lips. "I think if you could blush,
you would be right now."

He grinned boyishly, "Yeah, probably right."

She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his strong chest.
"Love you."

He ran a hand down her back and nuzzled her neck. "Love you too baby.
You ready to face them?"

"Yup. I think I can face anything with you by my side."

"Remember that."

"I will."

Gripping Spike's hand, he and Buffy made their way out of the room
finally. They were greeted by Willow, Tara and Whistler in the living room.

"Where are Giles and my mom?" Buffy asked immediately. Yes, the threat
might have been over, but the memories were still fresh and panic was
quick to come.

"They're outside. Talking," Whistler smirked knowingly. He jumped up
from his spot in the overstuffed olive chair. "I'm going to uh, poke around.
Excuse me," and off went the sharp dressed demon.

Buffy squeezed Spike's hand and he gave her a squeeze back for assurance.
She faced the lovers and smiled weakly. "Hi. How are you feeling?" she
asked Tara quietly.

Tara stood, smoothed her clothes and stalked over to Buffy. Mindless of
Spike's presence next to her, she hugged Buffy. "Thank you," she said.

Buffy, slow to awaken from her shock, let got of Spike's hand and hugged
Tara. "You're welcome."

Tara pulled away and Buffy noticed the unshed tears in her eyes. "I'm so
sorry about what I did. I didn't know, I—I would never have done that—"

Buffy held up her hand, stopping her. "You're right. You didn't know. The
Darkness had hold of your body, it possessed you. You weren't responsible
for what you did and I don't hold it against you."

"Spike told me what we—Buffy, I like girls," Tara told her red-faced.

Buffy smiled and glanced at Willow who was now standing patiently to the
side, waiting for her opportunity to speak. She smiled gently at Buffy,
letting her know that things were as they should be now.

"I know," Buffy nodded. "How do you feel?"

Tara let out a little nervous laugh. "Uh, not sure. Physically I feel sore and
bruised—"

"I'm sorry I didn't—"

Now Tara held up her hand. "No, please don't apologize. You did what you

had to do. Besides, I hear this Slayer healing I have works wonders. I think
a few of my bruises have already faded."

"Good," Buffy nodded curtly.

"As for the rest of me . . . I feel lost. Like I lost my head somewhere and
now I'm back only to find that I did things I had no knowledge of and things
I would NEVER do." She looked at Spike. "Not that I don't think you're, you

know, good looking, but I just don't swing that way."

Spike nodded and took Buffy's hand again. She squeezed it gently, letting
him know that everything was okay.

Tara turned her full attention back to Buffy, "So yeah, I feel a little
disoriented and I can't stop apologizing, but I don't know what else to do to
make it better."

"There's nothing you personally did that you have to feel responsible for
making better. All you have to do now is focus on being the Slayer and
coming to terms with that. You know what evil is capable of now. You can
use that to your advantage by not letting those evil things take over. The
Darkness is something that always was and always will be and it infests
itself in those things that walk this Earth with the intent to destroy. It's
your job as the Slayer to fight it. And," she took a deep breath, "it's our job,
meaning Spike and I," to help you fight it."

"Buffy—" Spike interrupted, his tone suggesting he didn't like the idea.

Buffy looked up at him. "Honey, it's okay. Immortal remember?"

He didn't look pleased still, but he didn't argue. "AFTER the baby is born,
got it?"

Buffy smiled, "Of course."

That seemed to pacify him at the moment and she turned back to Tara.
"Hopefully your Watcher will make it now too. Spike knows a lot about
Slayers, all I've learned about them, I've learned from him."

Tara's eyes darted back and forth between the two. "If you don't mind my
asking . . . How did you two end up finding each other?"

Buffy smiled, "Got a while?"

"Not that long, pet," Spike said in mock defense.

Buffy chuckled. "Well, see, it all started with Whistler . . . "