Title: "Can You Hear Me?."

Author: A.M. Glass

E-Mail: glasswrks@yahoo.com

Copyright: April 23rd, 2000

Rating: 'G'

Disclaimer: Joss, Fox Studios, Mutant Enemy, et al, have something to do with "Buffy The Vampire Slayer". No copyright infringement is intended or inferred. The story is the sole property of the author.

Author's Note: This is a songfic, the song in question is "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" It's written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and can be found on the sound track "Yentl". It's sung by Barbara Streisand. I've made a few minor changes to the lyrics to fit the story. The song lyrics are being spoken by Tara.

Dedicated To: Shay. Look, it worked out better than I thought.

Feedback: It always helps.

Tara left her dorm room, her small bag slung over her shoulder and made her way to the small clearing she had found by accident. Once she arrived, she placed her bag down and begun to take out what she would need for this night.

Placing a large white candle on a rock, she took out a shawl, and put it over her head. Saying a silent prayer, she concentrated and a small flame appeared. She looked up into the night sky, million of stars shone down upon her and the moon bathed her in light.

"Mama... can you hear me? Mama... can you see me? Mama... can you find me in the night?" she asked.

"Mama... are you near me?" she said looking around the clearing.

"Mama... can you hear me? Mama... can you help me not be frightened?"

She was frightened, this entire town had an aura of evil around it she was surprised that she hadn't gotten sick from it.

"Looking at the skies, I seem to see a million eyes, which ones are yours? Where are you now that yesterday has waved goodbye and closed its doors?"

Tara missed her mother...

"The night is so much darker, the wind is so much colder. The world I see is so much bigger, now that I'm alone."

That might have been true at one time in her life... until Willow.

"Mama... please forgive me, try to understand me... mama, don't you know I had no choice?"

She didn't want to bungle the spell Willow had asked her help with, she had no choice.

"Can you hear me praying? Anything I'm saying? Even though the night is filled with voices?"

She hoped her mother would understand what she was doing, and why.

"I remember ev'rything you taught me, ev'ry book I've ever read."

Tara would not forget what her mother and grandmother had shown her.

"Can all the words in all the books helps me face what lies ahead? The trees are so much taller, and I feel so much smaller... and the moon is twice as lonely, and the stars are half as bright..." Tara managed to say through the tears.

"Mama... how I love you. Mama... how I need you... mama, how I miss you... kis... kissing me goodnight."

She couldn't continue, the emotions were tearing at her soul. She looked up suddenly, when she felt an hand on her shoulder.

"Will... Willow, what are you doing her?" she asked, wiping at the tears, embarrassed that she had been caught.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to follow you. I went to see you and I saw you leaving the dorm... so..."

"You followed me."

"Yeah. I... I didn't mean to interrupt... but I couldn't stand around, not while you were crying."

"That's okay... I'm finished," Tara replied as she got up from the ground, blowing out the candle.

"I guess I should go..."

"No... Willow. Wait, please," Tara asked, knowing what she had to do. Reaching over, she took Willow's hand in hers and smiled.

Looking back up into the night sky she said, "Mother... mama. This," she motioned in Willow's direction. "This is Willow Rosenberg, she's... she's my friend."

The End.