Alki's 'InBlue' Challenge #11- No More Cry
by Erin Griffin
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Willow/Tara, Willow/Kennedy
Disclaimer: Jossy pooh owns them.
Author's Note: In 'The Slayer of New Gotham', I wasn't very nice to Kennedy. I haven't seen very much with her in it, but I didn't like what little I had seen of her. Still, I had been thinking of a way to incorporated No More Cry into some sort of story, and I kept thinking of Kennedy and Tara in Willow's life. The end result is thus:
You awoke with a gasp, sitting up suddenly. "Tara?" I sat up as well, wishing my stomach hadn't felt like there was a lead stone at its bottom.
"No Sweetie." When I said this, a tear fell down your cheek, and you breathed in a shuddering breath.
"I-I'm sorry, Kennedy. I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay." I didn't know what else to do or say. It was Tara you'd wanted holding you, and I knew from past experiences that you wouldn't have wanted to talk about it so I didn't even ask. 'If only I could take your pain,' I thought to you. It was silent between us and I almost couldn't stand it. I knew you're just waiting for the day you can be with her again. I knew that my afterlife wouldn't have you in it, but I only live for today, anyway. Who knows, maybe Tara had found a lesbian friend to hang out with while she waited for you, and when I die, she'll turn out to be the soul mate that I had somehow never found. I was just there to keep you warm at night and that was what I will did. In between that, I slay a few uglies. My time here, despite the presence of all the other new slayers in the world, is short. I turned to you and watched you for a second.
We were silent until I said, "If its true what people say there's still beauty in each day. We'll find comfort in her strength. Someday you will meet again." You didn't say anything, so I continued to speak. " Think of it this way: If you compare it to the eternity you eventually get to spend with her, a few decades of wait won't be that bad. You know, do what you've got to do before your time comes, and I'll do my best t protect you." Your silence as you thought this over sort of made me uncomfortable, and I started to feel like you as I kept talking. I don't know why I felt I had to keep talking. "Hey, think of all the stories you will have to tell her as you lay on those clouds together or swing on those swings in the sky... or whatever. Sure, she'll already know 'em all, but she'll want to hear you babble your way through them because she's missed you talking directly to her, eye to eye. Besides, you'd have the time. And you know what?" You were watching me as I spoke, and I knew you felt bad about me having to speak of Tara this way.
Still, you took my bait. "What?"
"After you've told her all your stories, and after she tells you about all of the dead celebrities she met, how she knows where her mother is and visits her every week, you two will be so comfortable together that you can cuddle and fall into a peaceful silence that could last for centuries." I slowly reached out and touched her red hair, letting my fingers play in it. "I wanna hear you laugh again, and wherever she is up there, watching, I'm sure she does, too. So what do you say? No more cry?" You wiped your eyes.
"Those are beautiful thoughts. I bet she's the only one up there tolerating Anya." She giggled at that, and I had an image of the ex-vengeance demon I didn't know all that well telling Tara all about her death, and Tara, the gentle soul everyone told me she was, smiling and sympathising at all the right spots. "Thank you Ken. No more cry... At least, I'll try." The way she had worded that last sentence, I couldn't help but think of a song I once heard, but I can't remember who sang it. All I knew was the one lyric, the one that made me think happy thoughts.
"Fill the empty, find the the rhyme."
"Huh?" You're so cute when you're confused.
" 'Fill the empty, find the rhyme.' Its from a song, but I don't know who sang it. I guess it means to make the sadness within you go away with a song. Dunno, it always helped to think that when I was down. When I am in this sort of funk, that lyric always seems to pop into my head."
"I'm not singing," you said.
"Thank your goddess."
"Oh you-" You threw the pillow behind you at me, but you'd missed. "Damn!" You weren't really concerned about it, though, I could tell from the look on your face. You sighed deeply and sadly, then focused on me a little bit once more. "Thank you for that." We shared a quick kiss and my pillow since we were too lazy to go get yours. As you fell back asleep, I stayed awake wondering about the afterlife I drew up for you, imagining Tara mouthing out her thanks to me as I stared at the darkness, my heart constricting at the thought that Tara has no lesbian friend/soulmate for me to meet once you're with her again. I couldn't stop the tear that fell at the reality that my afterlife will be empty.
End
No More Cry Lyrics
The Corrs
I wanna feel just like before
Before the rain came in my door
Shook me up turned me around
Made me cry till I would drown
Stole the daylight, brought the night
So much anger I would fight
Lost my youth and the blue
Saw all the loneliness in you
Wanna help you give my love
Shine some light out from the mud
Fill the empty find a rhyme
A brighter day a better time
But I'm wondering where I'm gone
Can't find the truth within my song
And all I have give to you
To let you know you're not alone
I'm telling you
I'm smiling for you only (only...)
I'm trying for you solely (solely...)
I'm praying for you only (only...)
No more cry, no more cry...
I wanna hear you laugh again
Without the ache to bring you down
No we'll never be the same
If only I could take your pain
But if it's true what people say
There still is beauty in each day
We'll find comfort in her strength
One day soon we'll meet again
I'm telling you
I'm smiling for you only (only...)
I'm trying for you solely (solely...)
I'm praying for you only (only...)
No more cry, no more cry...
(Only) I'm singing for you only (only...)
Yeah, I worry for you only (only...)
I'm praying for you only (only...)
No more cry, no more cry...
Reach out for love (love...)
Shout out for love (love...)
Listen for your love (love...)
Believe in her love... (love...)
I'm telling you
I'm telling you
I'm smiling for you only (only...)
I'm trying for you solely (solely...)
I'm praying for you only (only...)
No more cry, no more cry
I'm singing for you only (only...)
Hey, I worry for you only (only...)
But it's you saves me from lonely (lonely...)
No more cry, no more cry
No, no more cry... (no more cry...)
No more cry... (no more cry...)
No more cry... (no more cry...)
No more cry