“Let me tell you a story of the time I had to make a decision bigger than any other. It at started at Christmas 2002. Things were pretty quiet considering I live on a Hellmouth. Willow was still so broken over Tara’s death and, although she had seen four different therapists she had found a weak excuse for not going back more than three times, I think the final one was that the woman used to wear four rings on her right hand and it disturbed her trail of thought. She had spent some time in England with Giles and a coven of witches, they were helping her understand her magic but she became homesick really quickly and returned after only five weeks. She never attended Tara’s funeral and when we met her at the airport, she insisted on going to the cemetery to say her goodbyes.

Xander drove us to the graveyard, I sat in the front with him while Willow curled up in the tiniest ball you could ever imagine in the back seat, I looked back a few times, y’know to check she was ok. She looked so small and empty, the one time she met my eyes, hers were so, I don’t know, she looked haunted and desolate. I’ve never wanted to hug her so much.

Willow, when she cries, is easily the most heartbreaking person in the world. She just lets it go and everything that has ever hurt her comes pouring out for everyone to see. At the same time, she is beyond cute. The whole thing breaks your heart but makes you remember why you love her so much. Anyway, Dawn was away with Janice and so we had all the time that Willow needed. Xander stopped the car at the cemetery gates not long after two o’clock. He stepped from the car and opened Willows door, taking her hand and helping her out.
She looked so fragile, like a strong breeze would blow her over and smash her into a million pieces. He said something to her but I couldn’t quite make out what it was, she nodded slowly and I saw a single tear glint in the sunlight. Rather than walking up the hill to where Tara was… I don’t want to say buried, it sounds so final. Resting, that’s better. Rather than walking up to Tara’s resting place, Willow gazed up the hill, well, her head was turned in that direction but she wasn’t seeing the huge oak tree and neat rows of headstones, she saw Tara, it was clear from the look on her face that she was all that Willow could, probably would ever see!