Act 4 (end)

The night was falling on Cleveland and the sun was slowly going down in the clear sky, announcing a beautiful starry night. The council’s hotel was unusually quiet compared to the agitation of the last weeks. It was the calm going with departure days that was reigning on this summer evening.

Kennedy and Willow had been the first to leave back for Brazil and it would have been some way from the truth to say that none of them looked happy when came time to say goodbye.
Despite Buffy’s, Xander’s and Giles’ efforts, Willow had refused any kind of contact with Tara, had refused to give herself the time she needed to adjust. And she had preferred to rush her return to Rio in what resembled only too much an escape. She had nevertheless taken time to ask what Tara would become and had protested vehemently against the idea to have her with Faith. Giles had finally made her admit that Tara just needed as much time and space to adjust to the situation as herself. Willow had finally given in to Buffy’s much disappointment. Buffy had hoped that this piece of news would push Willow to gather her courage and to face Tara. But it hadn’t happened. And in the beginning of the afternoon, Willow and Buffy were as teary as the other when they had hugged when the redhead was about to leave for the airport.
All that the Slayer could now hope was that her best friend would finally find the light she had so hoped for her at the end of the tunnel she was still crossing.

All the time - and it has been long - where Willow had passed from arms to arms, goodbyes to goodbyes, Kennedy had stayed beside her, showing even more her over protective stance for her girlfriend. Except the other Slayers, her only goodbye had been for Giles. The brunette Slayer had refused stubbornly to talk to Buffy or Xander and Dawn had avoided her more than ever.
Buffy had tried to talk to her without success. Despite Kennedy’s anger, the blonde Slayer couldn’t help but feel a great sympathy and gratitude toward the younger Slayer. Sympathy because she knew the weeks to come would be hard for her too. Gratitude because she would be there for Willow and Willow would need her.

It was now Faith and Tara’s turn to leave the hotel. At first, imagining Tara going with Faith had horrified Giles, Xander and Dawn and all of them had questioned her sanity to have such ideas. Dawn had been particularly vehement, asking her really seriously if she had gone crazy when coming in Cleveland. Giles had expressed his worry in more …Giles words. And Xander had finally agreed with her, saying he’d rather have Tara with Faith than alone.
Weirdly enough, convincing Tara hadn’t been as difficult as Buffy had feared. The witch seemed to have use all her strength to convince the scoobies to give her some time. Struggling against Faith was probably now above her will and she had given in even too easily to Buffy’s own taste.
And now she couldn’t help but doubt her choice as she was looking at Faith filling the trunk of a car parked in front of the hotel while Tara was shyly standing on the side. But it was probably to late to step back.

When Faith announced it was time to leaven Dawn was the first to throw herself into Tara’s arms. One last time, the teenager begged the witch to give up that trip and to come to Rome with her and Buffy. Tara didn’t answer and just stroked Dawn’s long hair.
In the meantime, Buffy, Xander and Giles were drowning Faith under all kind of advices. Faith sighed, grumbled, protested and had to threaten to let Tara at the next crossroad to make them shut up. And finally, Buffy’s intense gaze on here was more efficient than any word to make her understand how important her new mission was.

Faith tapped gently on Dawn’s shoulder to ask for her goodbye and the teenager agreed finally to let go of the blonde. Giles and Xander hugged her and asked her to be careful.
Finally, Buffy and Tara were face to face for the last second before the departure. Buffy had to struggle against her emotions and the furious need to prevent Tara to leave by any possible mean. She hugged Tara -almost suffocating her - without a word and Tara returned the hug in the same silence. She eventually had to release her to let her go. Tara gave them a last smile, Faith gestured one last time and they both climbed in the car.
The Slayer started the engine as Xander came behind Buffy and Dawn and put his arms around both sisters.
Then the car slowly began to get away, gathered speed and finally disappeared from sight.
The four friends stayed some minutes on the hotel’s stoop, looking where the car had disappeared without none of them talking. Finally Dawn broke the silence.

“Will she be okay?” She asked in an anguished tone to nobody in particular.

No one answered at first. But Dawn repeated her question.

“We just can hope” Giles eventually replied with a dark look.

Silence fell again on the group.

“So, Xander, you’re staying in Cleveland?” Asked finally Buffy, who wanted to talk about anything but what really worried them.

She felt the carpenter nodding behind her.

“Giles is bored without me” He said, trying to sound cheerful. “I’m staying to keep him company. And you, when do you leave finally?”

“Tomorrow” Buffy answered casually as she turned to come in the hotel.

The others followed and they passed the threshold behind her.

“Late for work?”

Buffy said ‘yes’ with her head. She was indeed late and she had originally planned to come back to Rome some days before. But being late at her work was the latest of her worries right now. Cause there was nothing else she could worry about but Willow and Tara.