Author: EndlessD
Rating: R
Disclaimer: The heavens would weep with joy if I ever came to own Buffy. I do not own the songs Boulevard Of Broken Dreams by Green Day, and Twenty Four (some words changed) and Dare You to Move by Switchfoot.

"Hey Wills!" Xander slid in beside the petite redhead. "You seem down."

"Again." Buffy added. "We're worried about you Wills. You're always so... depressed."

Xander grinned. "You should be happy. A few months and we graduate!"

Willow gave her two friends a weak smile. "I'm just nervous, ya know, college stuff."

"You're a genius Wills," Xander threw an arm around the smaller girl, "You've got nothing to worry about!"

The redhead glanced away. "Yeah."

She gently closed the door, careful for it not to slam. She sighed with relief when no one came to 'greet' her.

Willow quickly made her way up to her room.

Growling, she looked away from the textbook. It was so stupid! What did any of it matter?! There was no way that her parents would let her go to college.

Everything just seemed so... hopeless!

She felt horrible for feeling the way she did, but... she just couldn't help it. Sometimes... sometimes she'd just think: Today's one day closer to death.

It was wrong, she knew it. Everything was wrong.

Her room was cold and dark, and the rain pounded at her window, making it impossible for her to sleep. She rolled over in an attempt to get comfortable. She really wished she had a softer mattress.

She curled up, wanting sleep. Sleep meant dreams. Dreams meant Dream.

Willow smiled. Just the thought of the other woman cheered her up. Dream was what kept her sane, kept her alive.

But Dream was coming to her less and less.

With each visit, the woman promised to come to her, and take her away. Sometimes she wondered... if Dream was even real, if she was just a figment of her imagination, and if she really was crazy.

She curled up tighter, wanting sleep.

"Buffy?"

The blonde glanced over her shoulder. "Yeah Mom?"

The older woman hesitated before speaking. "I... your friend Willow... is she alright?"

Buffy frowned, "What are talking about Mom? Willow's fine." She looked at her mom. "Why do you ask?"

Joyce sighed, "Rupert and I... " Buffy couldn't help but listen to what her mom had to say if Giles was noticing something too. "She's... withdrawn... "

"So she's shy, big deal."

"It's not just that. We... Rupert's better at noticing things then me, and Buffy, I've seen it too."

"What? Mom! Please!"

"Her arms."

"What?"

"Her arms... I think... I think she's got some bruises."

"That's it?"

"Buffy, listen!"

"Willow's clumsy, you know that!"

"Buffy."

"I've seen her walk into walls and all. Okay Mom."

Joyce sighed. "Alright Buffy. But I want proof that she's okay. And if you notice anything, I want you to tell me. Promise me this. Promise me."

"I promise. But there'll be nothing to find." But the conversation didn't leave her, and would remain at the back of her mind, nagging her.

She sat fiddling with the radio, smiling as the music played.

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone

It... hit home.

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
and I'm the only one and I walk alone

The world slept through her pain, ignored it.

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

She had only herself, no matter how much she wished.

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line
Of the edge and where I walk alone

Read between the lines
What's fucked up and everything's alright
Check my vital signs
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone

Everything was wrong.

I walk alone
I walk alone

I walk alone
I walk a...

She didn't want to be alone.

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone

Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah
Ah-ah, Ah-ah

I walk alone
I walk a...

I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a...

Nobody wanted to know about her pain. She was alone.

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone...

And she didn't want to be.

Willow wiped the tears away.

"Xander?"

The dark haired boy looked up from his lunch. "Hey Buff! What's up?"

Buffy glanced around, "Is Willow here?" Xander shook his head. "Good." She sat down. "Have you noticed... anything with Wills?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Bruises."

Xander stared at her a moment. "I've got bruises and you don't care."

"It's not the same."

Xander sighed. "Yes it is."

"Bitch!"

Slap!

Her mother glared at her. "You have the nerve to come to me! Whimpering and sniveling! First about food and now your father!"

Willow winced as the hand hit her again.

"It's true!"

Her mother eyed her coldly. "What makes you think I care?"

She'd known! She'd known all alone! "That... that bitch!" Willow sighed, somehow, she knew it, she'd always known it. Her mother had always known about her father's 'visits' to her room. And she'd known that her mom had known.

Crying, she reached for the radio, needing comfort.

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everyone's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?

What does?

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

She wished that none of her days had ever happened.

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

Different. It should be different. Much different. I should have a good family, people that love me.

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

I wish it were.

"Willow!" The redhead stopped walking as the blonde ran up to her.

"Hey Buff." Buffy looked... nervous. "What's up?"

"I... uh... You can tell me anything! You know that, right Wills?" She looked at Willow, her eyes pleading for an answer.

"I... of course." She quickly left before Buffy called her lie.

She glanced down at the grocery list in her hands. That's almost all of it. She went to cross the street when a flash of blonde caught her eye. Dream!

It couldn't have been her though, because Dream wasn't real, wasn't ever coming for her.

She curled herself up and cried. She sighed with relief as her father shut the door.

She hurt. She hurt all over. And it wouldn't ever stop.

She held the knife in her hands, watching it shine. "I'll kill him. I'll kill him if he ever touches me again.

She tucked the knife under her pillow.

She loved the public library. It was... wonderful. She felt... free. It was large and full of so many different people. And books. She couldn't ever forget the books.

It felt... it felt like someone was watching her. She hated that feeling. Her father did that. He stared at her.

She quickly scooped her books into her backpack and turned to leave.

A hand clasped onto her shoulder.

Willow spun around-

To face Dream

The two women stood frozen.

"It's you?" Dream spoke first. "Willow. That's your name."

Willow nodded. "You're Dream."

The blonde nodded. "Tara. My name's Tara. I... I tried to tell you, but... I don't know. I guess Dreams are just like that. I... I almost didn't believe you were real."

"You took care of me."

"Yes." Tara could only be a few years older than her.

Willow sighed. "Why now?"

"College. Something just told me... to come here. And college was the best chance to do that."

"But you're here now?"

"I'm here."

Tara looked around Willow's house as the girl packed her bags. It was... like a museum.

But this was the home that had caused Willow so much pain. So she hated it.

She'd never wanted to kill anyone before, but Willow's parents...

"I'm ready!" Willow bounded down the steps, suitcase in hand. She shyly inched up to Tara-

And placed a kiss onto her lips.

Willow blushed, as did Tara. "I've been wanting to do that."

Tara smiled and pulled in the girl for another kiss.

The door opened.

"What do we have here?"

Willow yelped, "Daddy!"

He sneered at them. "C'mere girl." He went to grab Willow.

"Back off!" Tara stood in front of the redhead protectively.

Slap!

"Leave her alone!"

Tara's eye's widened. A knife. Willow had a knife.

Willow's father's eyes widened in surprise.

Tara took Willow by the arm. "Let's go." Willow followed. Tara glanced at the father. "Come near her ever again, and I'll kill you."

"Are you okay?" Tara enveloped Willow in a hug.

Willow nodded. "Yeah."

"I'll take care of you. I promise."

Willow smiled, and for the first time, it touched her eyes. People cared for her: Buffy, Giles, Mrs. Giles, Dawn... and Xander. Xander who had saved her as a child. She had to repay him for that. She and Tara would save him. And Tara, she had Tara. "I know."