A/N~ I don't own Buffy, as I am not, in fact, Joss Whedon, King of Geeks. I'm not saying I never will be, because I believe you can be anything you want to be, but if I was, I feel like I would know about it...

What if... Buffy was given a wish and used it to resurrect Tara.

"Damn it, I need to think of better lines." Buffy cursed, as a demon turned to dust before her eyes. She felt a second demon plodding up behind her. "See ya in Hell!" She shouted, plunging her stake into it's chest. The demon disappeared, only to be replaced by a bright light, which was almost blinding in the dark graveyard. She shielded her eyes but lowered her arm just as quickly, in case it was a new type of demon and she had blocked it from her sight. She looked around. "Well, this doesn't look like a graveyard." She frowned, spinning on the spot.

Buffy began to panic. There was nothing. Miles and miles of nothing. A flat, endless plain of nothing. She looked down and saw a white mist swirling around her ankles. Okay, so almost nothing.

"I know this place." Buffy frowned. Her eyes widened. "No! Please don't tell me I'm dead again! So not fair!"

"Of course not, Slayer." A voice said inside her head.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"A messenger. I represent the Powers That Be."

"And what do you want?"

"Actually, our focus is on what you want."

"Meaning?"

"You are the longest surviving Slayer. Your slay count is exceptionally high."

"And?"

"And you have just slayed your 1000th demon."

"Cool. Do I get a prize?"

"Yes."

"I was joking. Now it sounds like you're messing with me. What is this? Like, when you buy 11 cups of coffee and get the 12th free?"

"I have little knowledge of this custom. I come only to deliver a message. The Powers That Be wish to reward you for your many years of service."

"Reward me how?"

"One wish."

"A wish?"

"One wish. No consequences, no terms, no conditions or strings. Except…"

"Oh, here we go."

"The wish must be made within twenty four hours. Anything you ask for will be given to you. Extend your hand." She did, and a flat silver disc appeared in her palm. "When you are ready, use this to summon us."

"But how do I…" Buffy looked around. She was back in the graveyard. "Nope. Gone."

"Xander, if you could wish for anything, what would it be?" Buffy asked, playing with the disc. He opened his mouth. "You can't say more wishes." She added. He closed his mouth.

"Well, having my eye back would be nice." He said after a short silence. "Or a bottomless chocolate sundae. With fudge. And nuts. And a cherry, and-"

"Xander!" Buffy groaned, slapping his arm lightly.

"Ow! Slayer strength!"

"Sorry. I forgot." Buffy winced.

After a brief silence Xander asked. "Is that what you would wish for?" At her confused look, he continued. "Would you wish to not be the Slayer? You wouldn't have to go out and kill demons on a nightly basis. You could have a normal life. Not risk dying. For the third time, anyway."

That would be nice. Having a normal life. Not having to carry a stake with her at all times. Not being a target for all the Big Bads.

"So, what's with the dreaming? Why would you think about it?" Xander asked.

"Oh, no reason." Buffy shrugged. "Just… you know me, thinking too much." She chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Willow asked, entering the kitchen.

"Buffy was thinking." Xander told her.

"Oh."

"I asked Xand if he had one wish what would he wish for." Buffy shrugged.

"Let me guess. He said he'd wish for a giant ice cream or something." Willow laughed, rolling her eyes slightly.

"In one." Buffy smiled. "What about you, Will? What would you wish for?"

"No consequences?" Willow asked. Buffy nodded. Willow replied immediately, a small smile on her face, clearly lost in memories. "Oh, that's easy. I would wish to bring back Ta-"

"Willow!" Kennedy called from somewhere in the house.

"Coming, Kennedy!" Willow replied. She smiled sadly at her friends. "I have to go." Willow walked out of the kitchen, and Buffy remembered a time when she had practically skipped everywhere because she was always so happy.

Tara. That's what Willow was going to say. She would bring back Tara. "It's not like the idea lacks appeal." Buffy muttered to herself.

"You say something, Buff?" Xander asked.

"Nope." Buffy smiled slightly. She could hear Willow and Kennedy doing… whatever it was that they did in their room. Her eyes drifted towards the empty doorway Willow had left through. She frowned. "Xand… Do you think…" She trailed off, words suddenly failing her, but Xander understood.

"That Willow's okay?" Xander continued. Buffy nodded. "No. Of course not. Tara was her soulmate. Now she's gone, Willow is all alone. And she feels like half of her is missing. Like… like that phantom limb syndrome thing. When I wake up, in those few seconds it takes my brain to realise the basics; y'know, who I am, where I am, who's lying next to me, I sometimes feel like my eye is still there. But for Will it's worse. Because it's so much more than that. It's her other half that's missing. And it's all the time. She's always reminded of what she doesn't have. Who she doesn't have. Of course she'd bring Tara back. Now I think about it, I would, too."

"You would?" Buffy asked.

"I've gone this long with one eye. And I miss Tara. We all do. I could go without two eyes if I could see Tara back with one." Xander smiled slightly.

"Wow. You really miss her."

"Almost as much as I miss Willow." Xander replied sincerely, his smile gone.

"What are you talking about? She's literally in the next room." Buffy frowned.

"Is she?" Xander asked, leaving the room.

"Angel. You could restore his humanity. Bring him back." Faith shrugged. "Look, B, we both know he's miserable. If you brought him back, the two of you could get together."

"Why are you saying that? Why do you want us together?" Buffy asked.

"I just want you to be happy." Faith said sincerely. "Whoever it's with." She whispered slightly.

"Why do you think I need someone?" Buffy asked.

"We all need someone, B." Faith said.

"You don't have someone." Buffy replied.

"I have you." Faith told her.

"That's not the same. You need someone, Faith."

"I don't need anyone else." Faith said.

"That's not true." Buffy challenged.

"I don't like anyone else. I don't trust anyone else. Except, I trusted the mayor, I guess, and we all know how that turned out. But you, you I trust. And you haven't let me down… yet, anyway. I love ya, B." Faith shrugged. Then her eyes widened, realising what she'd said.

"You what?" Buffy asked.

"Nothin'. I gotta go patrol." Faith said, shrugging on her jacket and leaving the house ASAP.

Faith was going on patrol. Since Buffy had been called about two hours into patrol that meant she had two hours until her wish expired.

"What should I do, Dawnie?" Buffy asked.

"I can't tell you." Dawn said sadly.

"What? Why not?" Buffy pouted.

"Because we both know what I'm going to say." Dawn said simply.

"Mom."

Dawn nodded. "But you can't do that. There aren't enough wishes in the world for us to all get what we want. And I can't tell you to bring mom back, because I don't deserve to be put over everyone else. And I don't want you to think I'll hate you if you don't do what I tell you to. I'm almost certain that you know what you want. You're sure of yourself. Way more than I am. And I actually have a feeling that you know what you want to wish for, you just needed me to tell you you were right. And, look… If you tell anyone this, I'll deny it, but… whatever you want to wish for… it's probably right."

"Thanks, Dawnie. I love ya, sis." Buffy smiled. She ruffled Dawn's hair and then put her hand on the disc.

"Have you made your decision, Miss Summers?" The messenger asked.

"I have." Buffy said.

"What is your wish?" The voice asked.

"I wish for Tara Maclay to be restored, and for her to be brought here so I can take her back with me to Earth." Buffy responded.

"Very well." The voice said. Seconds later, Tara appeared in front of her.

"Buffy? What's… what's going on? Where am I?" Tara frowned, only to be followed by her collapsing suddenly.

"What's wrong with her?" Buffy asked.

"She's merely disoriented. She may remain that way for a few hours."

"I can't take her back like that." Buffy complained.

"We will put a simple cloaking spell on her." The disc vibrated slightly in Buffy's pocket. "When you wish for her to be visible, the disc will remove the cloaking spell. Ready to go?" The voice asked. Buffy nodded. "Very well. Thank you, Slayer."

"You're…" Buffy looked around, realising she was in her own bedroom. "Welcome?"

"Buffy?" Tara asked.

"Hey, Tara."

"Where's Willow? What's happening? Where are we?" Tara asked.

"We're at my house." Buffy replied.

"Is Willow here?" Tara repeated.

"Yes. She's here."

"Willow." Tara whispered the other woman's name like it was a prayer. She jumped up from her position on the floor and stumbled towards the door, tripping over her own feet with every step.

"Tara, wait." Buffy called quietly enough to avoid alerting someone to the blonde's return.

She saw the blonde half-run, half-fall towards Willow's room. She opened the door just a crack and looked in. "Oh." She breathed. She turned to Buffy. "Uncloak me." Buffy did. When she was visible she opened the door another fraction.

"Kennedy." Willow gasped, putting her hands on Kennedy's shoulders.

"Yes, love?" Kennedy asked, not moving her hands from inside Willow's skirt.

Tara closed the door and leant her back against it, sliding down the wood. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she closed her eyes, shutting out the world as she took a deep breath.

"Come with me, there's a few things you need to catch up on." Buffy said, extending a hand. Tara ignored it and ran into the bathroom, slamming and locking the door behind her.

"Who was that, B?" Faith asked, coming up the stairs.

"Back from patrol already? You okay?" Buffy checked.

"Slow night." Faith shrugged, showing Buffy her lack of injuries proudly. Buffy smiled.

"Faith. I used my wish."

"Do I need to ask what on?" Faith asked.

"Tara. I brought her back. But there's a problem." Buffy grimaced.

"Kennedy?"

Buffy nodded. "Tara saw Kennedy and Willow… together."

"Shit."

"And then she ran into the bathroom." Buffy continued.

Faith's eyes widened. "And you let her? B, open the door."

"I can't. She locked it." Buffy said.

"Shit."

"What? There's more to it, isn't there?"

"She's a girl who's had her heart broken. Open the door. Now. Or risk never being able to get her back. Not everyone can be resurrected a second time."

"Shit." Buffy cursed, kicking the wood around the lock. "Tara! Let me in!" Buffy said, feeling the door splintering underneath her. She kicked again.

"Too slow." Faith muttered. She charged the door with all her might, and the wood gave way.

"Tara, stop that!" Buffy exclaimed.

Tara was standing in front of the mirror. Buffy's plastic razor was broken, the casing in the sink, and the blade was in Tara's hand, hovering just over her wrist. Tears fell from her eyes rapidly and her breath came out in harsh, violent, shuddering sobs. Buffy reached out and pulled Tara into her.

"Hey, what's going on up here?" Xander and Dawn asked, entering the bathroom.

"Tara!" Dawn cheered, brushing past Faith and embracing the blonde. "Oh my gods, I'm so happy to see you! Does Willow know you're-" Tara's sobbing increased at the use of the redhead's name. Dawn pulled back slightly to look at Tara's face. "What's wrong, Tar?"

"She, uh… she saw… Willow and Kennedy. Together." Buffy muttered.

"They're not together." Dawn frowned. "Willow just said she was going to break up with Kennedy, like, ten minutes ago."

Tara took a few deep breaths. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. In and out. Slow, calming breaths. Through her nose, out of her mouth. "What? Why?" Buffy asked.

"You. She still loves you, and she doesn't think anyone can match up. And then she said 'I want to be with Tara or all alone'" Dawn said to Tara honestly. "She seemed really upset." Tara's tears had subsided.

"There's something you're not telling me." Tara frowned. Her voice sounded thick.

"Tara… I think… I think she was going to kill herself." Dawn whispered sadly.

The world seemed to stop for Tara for a second. No. Not her Willow. Never. Her Willow was a fighter. She would resume. Of course she would resume. That's why she was in their bedroom with that whore, Kennedy. Who she was breaking up with. For her. But Willow still thought she was dead. But she was alive.

"My head hurts." Tara moaned.

"Kennedy, I said no!" Willow shouted. Less than a second later, much to the amusement of everyone standing in the bathroom, the dark haired potential flew through Willow's bedroom wall. A severely dishevelled Willow stepped through the slayer shaped hole. Anger radiated from her in waves. "Look I can't be with you! And I'm sorry if that upsets you, but under no circumstances should that mean you… force yourself on someone! You are lucky I don't kill you on the spot! As it is it's pretty damn tempting!"

"Jesus. You need to chill the fuck out." Kennedy groaned, wiping away a trickle of blood that had appeared on her forehead.

"No. You need to keep it in your pants. Listen to me. I don't love you. I never will. I am sorry. But not as sorry as I am that I ever met you."

"You need to understand that that blonde bitch is dead. Got it? She's left. She's never coming back."

"So you decide the next logical step is to… to rape me?" Willow yelled.

"I had to show you what you were passing up somehow." Kennedy smirked, getting up and stalking towards Willow. "Seriously, Red, isn't it time you moved on? Let me show you what a real woman can do." She whispered in Willow's ear. Willow and Tara were both shaking with rage.

"Get out." Willow hissed.

"No." Kennedy replied. Willow's finger twitched, and suddenly Kennedy was pinned to the wall, unable to move.

"May we?" Buffy and Faith asked Willow.

"You may." Willow smiled, stepping aside.

Buffy and Faith left the bathroom and stepped towards Kennedy, blocking her from view of the others. Several screams and insults later, they stepped aside to reveal an extremely battered, bruised, and tearful Kennedy. Willow stepped forwards to finish the job, but Tara gathered what little strength she had and walked forward.

"Honey, I'm home." She called. Willow froze in shock. "We have some catching up to do, but first…" She approached the pained, sobbing lump that had once been Kennedy, and punched her in the face, effectively knocking her out. She twirled her finger and the floral design on the wallpaper came to life, leaping off the wall and ensnaring Kennedy in it's vines. "We'll deal with her later." It only then occurred to the Scoobies that Tara hadn't stuttered once during the entire event. In fact, they had never seen the blonde so in control as she put her arms around Willow's waist and pulled the quivering woman against her. "I'm back, Will." She whispered in the redhead's ear. "Baby, it's me. I'm here." Tara whispered as her right arm began to trail up towards Willow's nape and began to stroke the space in-between her shoulder blades in small circles she knew Willow found comforting.

"Tara?" Willow gasped, then collapsed into a fit of sobs, her body melting into the other woman's. She pulled back slightly, examining every inch of Tara's face. "It's you. You're here. You're alive."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be." Tara grinned.

"Tar, I'm so so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking with Kennedy. I… I tried to get rid of her, I really did, and then she wasn't going away so I might as well try to give her a chance and try to move on but it… it hurt. And that wasn't what I wanted. She wasn't what I wanted, I wanted you. It was always you. And I tried to break up with her but she wouldn't let me and she… she… she…"

"Shh. It's okay. I know, baby. I know. But it's fine. I'm here now. It's all going to be okay." Tara soothed.

"How do you know?" Willow asked, pulling back so she could look Tara right in the eye.

"Because I'm with you." Tara replied earnestly. "And I'm never leaving you again."

A/N~ First off, what did you think? This is my 1st time writing Buffy fanfiction and I'm not sure how good or bad I did...

Also, I feel like this should have more to it. If I were to take this further than a one shot, and write about how Willow and Tara resume, and maybe(?) get Fuffy (Faith/Buffy) together?

If there is any interest in that, please let me know in the comments.