Try and Try Again: The Voice I Cannot See
by tamzinrose
*Driven to distraction, waiting on your call* Envy - Ash

Willow answered her phone as soon as she heard the first shrill tones. She couldn’t remember what her ring tone was meant to be, but it just sounded manic and wrong. She barely even glanced at the digital display to see who was calling. She didn’t really care.

“Hello?” She was weak and tired, and her voice betrayed her, exposing the negative emotions that she’d been trying to hide from Xander because she knew he was incredibly worried about all of his friends.

“Hey Willow.” Tara answered her brightly, knowing automatically that she needed cheering up.

Willow rubbed her eyes wearily. “Tara! Hi. Um…is anything up?”

“Dawn’s home and she’s gonna come and see Buffy. Is that a good idea?” Tara started nervously.

“Uh…no, not really. Buffy’s in surgery. She’s healing really quickly already. If she wasn’t the Slayer, she’d be dead by now. So…I think that’s a good sign. Don’t you think that’s a good sign?”

Tara nodded. “Yeah, Will. I think so. Can we come and wait with you guys?”

Willow shrugged. “If you want to. I mean, you don’t have to or anything, if it’s because you’re worried about me, because I’m coping with this so you don’t have to worry about me, ok? I don’t want you to worry about me Tara.”

“Willow, I am worried about you. I’m sorry if you don’t want me to, but I can’t help it, because I love you and you’re so sensitive and the world’s a really bad place sometimes and what we do is dangerous stuff and I know how close you guys all are and-”

Willow interrupted quickly. “No, baby, don’t. I love you too. And I know that bad stuff happens; I don’t want you trying to shield me like I’m an innocent little kid. I know what goes on in the big, wide world, okay Tara? And I don’t want you to worry about me like I worry about you. I worry about you so bad it hurts sometimes. And I don’t want you to feel like that. Because, you know, it hurts.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. Tara had been stunned speechless. She recovered quickly. “I guess that I do try to protect you, maybe too much, and I shouldn’t because you’re not a fragile baby girl. You’re really brave and powerful and strong. Amazingly powerful and strong. So beautifully strong. But I am always going to worry about you. I love you so much Willow. It’s my right to worry about you, and it always will be.”

Willow sighed. “You’re never going to let me win are you? I mean, you’re so sweet and gentle and kind, and I really love you too, a heck of a lot, and…ok, yeah, you’re right. You can worry about me, because I worry about you, so it’s only fair, but still…I’m never going to win again, am I?”

Tara laughed softly, quietly, gently. “Nope. I think you’re just going to have to give in more often. It’ll make life much easier for both of us. And we’ll get everything done a lot faster too. By the way, thank you Will.”

Willow smiled. “Thank you too baby.”

*I found a reason for me to change who I used to be* The Reason - Hoobastank

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