Gone Away

Always

Willow was packing her room in boxes. Tara's belongings box blended with the other girl's. With Joyce back, Willow decided being in the summers' home was a little too crowded, plus she had Joyce's room. The university let her back in immediately so she would be staying in a dorm from now on. It felt right.

She finished packing, and went downstairs to grab something to eat. Packing everything she owned was a difficult task, rewardable with a sandwich. When she waltzed into the kitchen, she saw Joyce making just that.

The woman smiled lovingly and offered a plate to the redhead. "Hi, Willow."

Willow flashed a fake smile for a second and and gladly accepted the sandwich. "Hi Miss. Summers. Thank you."

Joyce just smiled and looked down, but didn't move. She stayed still and tense in her tracks. after debating it over in her head, something on her face changed and an eerie calm evenness took over.

Willow saw this and skeptically moved a little to the direction of the door. "Miss. Summers. Are you alright? do I need to get Buffy?"

"She misses you, you know." Joyce sighed.

Willow heard the other woman perfectly fine, yet her first instinct told her he misheard her. "W-what?" she stammered.

"She is always with you, Willow. She never left." She smiled before tilting her head. "She was so restless being away from you. She still is."

Willow shook her head. "Miss summers, what are you...."

"She still sings to you."

By this point, Willow had backed into the doorway, ready to bolt if she felt needed. But despite her impending fear, she felt a sudden calming wash over her, and a case of bone deep chills. Her terror subsided, and her tensed face unclenched. "Tara?" she asked in a quiet, childlike whisper. "B-baby?"

"She's with you. Always." Joyce had smiled warmly before her stiff, robot like mode had stopped. The older summers then shook her head before looking puzzled at the fragile redhead before her. "Willow, honey, are you alright?" she moved to approach the girl, but Willow took off, swinging the front door open and rushing out, not even bothering to close it behind her.

*

Willow spent what felt like forever just wandering the small town she knew like the back of her hand. Which, was less of a good example, seeing as even that was barely recognizable without being intertwined with her soulmate's soft fingers. Nothing looked the same. Nothing felt the same. Nothing was the same. And none of it would ever be the same. Ever again.

Not without her.

Willow cringed at the thought, although absolutely true.

Soon she found herself stumbling into the darkened campus of her university. Her home once again.

Buffy had learned about her friend's freak out when she came home that day to her frazzled mother, whom explained everything. So, like any good best friend, who had mad-slayer strength, she took all of willows boxes over to her new dorm. She didn't stay, however, she didn't want to spring on the redhead, seeing as all it would take for Willow to break apart completely and permanently would be a strong wind on the wrong day. The slayer knew better then anyone what Willow needed right now was space, but the blonde didn't know just how true that was, more then she had ever thought.

Willow wasn't aware of her friend's favor. In fact, as she walked down the corridor to her new room, she worried her boxes would be in Joyce's way. Lost in her worries, the red head didn't even acknowledge where her room was until she arrived at the door. She saw the number. Her number. Her new home was the very room her lover had called home for very long, happy filled months.