Part 2
"Where are Xander and Cordy?" Buffy asked, entering the computer lab where
Willow was working.
"They went home . . . to my house I mean. Where they’re staying," Willow
put in quickly. The couple lived in L.A.
"Yeah, I kinda figured . . . they act funny sometimes, but they usually don’t
show up for five seconds and then go back to L.A. We didn’t even get to talk!"
Buffy exclaimed, perching on the eedge of Willow’s desk.
"They thought they’d unpack and stuff, but they’ll be back soon," Willow
reassured her best friend. Giles had insisted Buffy stay and "train"—she’d
been a Slayer for over seven years, she was kind of past the actual training
part—while he spoke with Brian and Xander and Cordy went to help Willow check him
and his sources out online.
"I hope so. It’s totally catch-up time. We have to get Xander to do his routine!"
Willow smiled slightly and quit the program she was in, knowing homework was no longer
the order of the day.
"Brian checked out," she reported, changing the subject. "He’s one
of two children."
"Younger sister, right?" Buffy asked. Willow nodded, suprised.
"How did you know?" she asked. Buffy shrugged.
"We talked a little before. Anyway, go on." Willow waited a second before
starting again.
"He comes from a rich family and there’s some big trust fund. He and his sister
split the interest and that’s a lot."
"He mentioned that," Buffy put in. Willow eyes her for a second, hearing
something odd in her tone that no one else would have heard.
"His career is listed as hunter or something. Big game, it said," Willow
reported, giving up on figuring Buffy out.
"Big game . . . that’s an interesting way of putting it . . ." Buffy laughed.
Willow smiled and went on.
"The half-vampires check out too. I have all my contacts researching and I talked
to his. They seem reliable and they all concurred with what Brian said."
"Yeah, Giles found something in one of the Watcher diaries too. That’s good
. . . I guess. At least we know what they are right?"
"Right. Call it an upside," Willow said firmly, then stopped. Oz has that
said, the first time they let him in to see her. Oz . . .
"The doctors said . . . they said I won’t be able to walk again, ever,"
Willow whispered. His hand caressed her cheek softly, brushed back her hair.
"But you’re alive, so call it an upside. Definitely an upside." And she
had looked away, because she couldn’t meet the love in his eyes. She couldn’t see
that, not and do what she knew she had to . . .
"Willow?" Buffy asked, noticing that her best friend wasn’t paying
attention when she failed to respond to a question. "Will?" Willow started,
blinking, the image of Oz fading from her mind, though the memory would never go
away.
"Yeah?" Buffy eyed her suspiciously before replying.
"I said . . . Do you think there are lots of them? I mean, vampires that can
come out during the day . . . I’m sensing a major advantage gone! Pft!" Buffy
snapped her fingers. Willow nodded in agreement—after a signifigant pause.
"You okay Will?" Buffy asked. Willow nodded hastily.
"It’s just finals, you know, and I’m getting kinda on the stressed side."
"You’ll do great Will. You always do . . . besides, you don’t have to take them,
right? And that’s a big plus."
"Yeah, you’re right. So where is Brian anyway?" Willow asked, chaning the
subject.
"He went to his hotel room to get something . . . some book for Giles or something.
He’s like Research Guy," Buffy replied, then sighed. "I want to see Xander
and Cordy!" she exclaimed. Willow smiled slightly.
"They’ll be back soon. They’ll probably go to the library though."
"Then library-bound we are!" Willow nodded and told the computer to shut
down—she’d down enough for the day. Buffy held the door open for her and then followed
her out into the hall.
"Isn’t Oz coming the day after tomorrow? Do I need to go pick him up?"
"No, he has a limo I think," Willow replied, trying to keep her voice light.
"Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous!" Buffy exclaimed, laughing. Willow’s
mouth crooked into a half smile.
"Something like that," she said. "There they are!" Buffy looked
up . . . sure enough, there was Xander and Cordelia, too busy arguing to notice their
friends.
"Break it up you two!" Buffy exclaimed. They turned and say them and waved.
Moments later they were standing in a group in front of the library.
"Just dissapear without even talking to me why don’t you!" Buffy exclaimed,
hugging Xander and Cordelia in turn.
"Well we will!" Xander exclaimed.
"Xander, you already did," Willow pointed out.
"Oh. Right. Let’s go into the library!" he exclaimed suddenly, changing
the subject. Willow smiled and Buffy and Cordelia laughed. To hurry things along,
Xander went and opened the door, holding it for Willow. She smiled up at him, and
went inside, glad that Buffy was walking through the other door at the same time.
Even surounded by friends, all these years later, she still felt a chill every time
she entered the library. Once it had been her favorite place, the one place she felt
safe, no matter what . . . now she couldn’t go in there alone. He’d ruined it for
her. He’d ruined so many things for her.
Willow "wheeled" over to near the tables . . . her chair was completely
mechanical and required no effort from her. Buffy sat on a table and Xander sat down
with Cordy on his lap. Just like old times. Except now, even with all her friends
here, Willow no longer felt safe. Not here . . . not really anywhere else either.
Except when Oz was there. But that was something different entirely, and not something
she should be thinking about right now.
"So who’s this guy again? And why are we believing everything he says?"
Xander asked when they were all settled. Willow sighed and waited while Buffy began
explaining.
*******************
"It’s not your fault Buffy! You couldn’t have known he would do that—I mean,
we all thought he was stuck in a wheelchair! You were out saving the senior graduation
from Drusilla!" Willow exclaimed, fighting to keep away the memories and reassure
her friend. Buffy had that look on her face . . . that guilty, sad look. But it really
hadn’t been her fault. If anyone was to be blamed, it was Willow herself . . .
Willow smiled happily, glancing back at the celebration before starting down the
hall. Graduation. The day she’d looked forward to for . . . well, it seemed like
forever. She was out of high school. She was an adult. She was going to go to college
and become a teacher and maybe someday she and Oz . . . *Getting a little ahead of
myself, aren’t I?* she mused. But she didn’t mind. She had graduated from high school
and her whole life was ahead of her. A whole new life, different from everything
that had come before. Another life. There was just one last thing she had to do .
. .
Everyone else was in the huge auditorium, even Giles. She hadn’t told them where
she was going . . . she’d be back soon, and Buffy and Xander would tease her anyway.
It had never been the same for them. It had never meant as much to them as it meant
to her. They’d spent as much time there, and it was as much their home as hers, but
Willow felt a special connection that no one else, except maybe Giles felt. And she
wanted to say good-bye.
She paused at the swinging doors. Oh, she’d come back. This would still be Slaying
headquarters. But it wouldn’t be the same. This was her last time to walk through
these doors as a student. Willow took a deep breath, smiled and pushed open the doors,
stepping into the familiar dimness of the Sunnydale High School Library.
"Not quite what I was hoping for, but you’ll do," a familiar British voice
said. And then she saw him, and was too frightened to scream . . .
"Dru always did love a good party!" Xander said, startling Willow out
of her memories. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself, not even listening
to what Brian was saying. They were gathered in the library after Buffy and Brian’s
reconnasaince mission. There was silence and Willow glanced up. Everyone was looking
at Buffy.
"It happened a long time ago," she said. "It doesn’t really matter."
She must be talking about Angel. Willow looked down at her lap. That was partly her
fault too . . . if she’d been sooner . . . if she hadn’t gone to the library alone
. . . *Stop it!* she told herself. *It’s the past. You can’t change it.* She kept
telling herself that, not hearing Brian and Buffy’s next exchange.
"Hey, I don’t know if any of you still eat, but I’m getting sort of munchy myself
. . ." Xander said, breaking into the silence in the room. Willow perked up,
pushing away her depressing thoughts.
"Let’s go to that new restaurant by the Bronze," she suggested, eliciting
approving looks all around. "All my students work there, and they say it’s really
good. And we can go dancing afterwards." Approving looks dissapeared, replaced
with quiet uncertainty. Buffy bit her lip, and asked,
"Are you sure Will?" Willow looked up, met her best friend’s eyes, and
nodded simply, a slight, sad smile curving on her lips.
"I want to see you all dance," she said, and in that moment it was totally
and completely true. She would never be able to, but they could and she didn’t want
to take that from them. She’d be taking it from herself too. When you couldn’t have
things, you either became bitter about it, or you enjoyed others having them. Willow
had always been one to opt for the latter.
"Should we be worried?" Xander asked softly. She turned and caught his
eyes. "I mean, they’re not going to try and poison us or something, right?"
Her smiled broadened and she knew in that moment why she’d loved him for so long
. . . why she still loved him, as a friend. Xander had always been there for her,
even if not in the way she wanted him to be sometimes. He’d been her friend since
she was born, it seemed, or at least since school started, and he’d be her friend
forever. No matter what happened.
Cordelia slapped Xander’s arm and said something about poisoning him. Willow
just smiled. Because she couldn’t dance, but they could, and because Oz was coming
the next day.
********************
"You want to dance?" Brian asked, turning to Buffy.
"I’d love to!" she exclaimed, then glanced at Willow, uncertain. Xander
and Cordelia were already out on the dance floor, and Buffy didn’t want to leave
Willow alone. The red-head shooed them off them, and watched in contentment as they
joined the other couples on the dance floor.
Willow sipped her soda and glanced around the Bronze. It was crowded tonight . .
. but then, it was usually crowded. It was the Bronze after all.
"Ms. Rosenburg?" a voice asked. Willow turned her head and smiled at the
group of girls that stood by her table.
"What can I do for you?" she asked.
"We were wondering . . . is it true that he’s coming tomorrow?" Victoria
Adams, the leader of the group asked. There was no doubt who they meant by ‘he’.
Willow smiled, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards in amusement.
"I can’t give out that information, sorry," she replied. They had enough
trouble with crowd control during his annual visit without actually announcing he
was coming. Victoria made a face and pushed a strand of dark hair back from her face.
She was probably the most popular girl in school . . . certainly one of the prettiest
and best dressed, not to mention Senior President. But somehow she’d managed to avoid
becoming as stuck up and mean as some—not to mention any names—in the same situation.
In fact, her close friends included a self-proclaimed computer nerd, an athlete and
a troublemaker. Victoria was one of Willow’s favorite students, and, having taken
all of Buffy’s self-defense classes, one of Buffy’s as well.
"Please?" Gillian, the "computer nerd" asked. "We won’t
tell anyone!" Willow shook her head.
"Sorry, but I really can’t say."
"Hey Ms. Rosenburg!" another familiar voice hailed her. Willow smiled at
Justin as he approached.
"Hello Justin." His eyes were beyond her though, on Victoria.
"Victoria," he said softly.
"Justin," she replied, a note of contempt in her voice. Well, contempt
might be too harsh a word . . . more like annoyance and resignation.
"Can I help you?" Willow asked Justin. He looked away from Victoria and
down at his teacher.
"Yeah, I was wondering if you could get Oz to sign a picture for me when he
comes?" Justin asked. Willow’s mouth twitched again as the girls all exchanged
glances.
"How do you know he’s coming?" she asked calmly.
"He always comes this time of year! Please, Ms. Rosenburg? And could you ask
him how he does that E flat, diminished ninth?" Willow sighed.
"If I happen to speak to him, I’ll ask him."
"Cool!" Justin said.
"Thanks Ms. Rosenburg," Victoria said, then turned and left with her friends
who all waved or said goodbye. Justin stared after them with a sigh. Willow hid a
giggle.
"Don’t worry. It’ll work for you someday. Ever met Xander Harris?" Willow
asked.
"Who?" Justin asked, then changed the subject. "What was the homework
again?"
Willow told him and then he said he’d better go and do it. He bid her goodbye and
left quickly. Willow took another sip of soda, then looked up to see Buffy walking
towards her, a forced smile on her face and Brian following right behind.
"Hey Will," Buffy said.
"Did you have a nice time dancing?" Willow asked.
"Great. Super-duper!" the Slayer said, but Willow could tell there was
something wrong. Something she didn’t want to talk about. At least, not with Brian
standing right there.
"We’re back you lucky people you!" Xander exclaimed, arriving at the table
hand-in-hand with Cordelia.
"It’s just like old times!" Buffy said quickly, whatever had happened slowly
fading away and being replaced by her usual cheerful self.
"Mostly," Willow amended, then stopped as she saw Buffy bite her lip and
look away. "I just meant you know, the bands are different and we’re older and
all!"
"Yeah and I’m soon gonna be attached to him for life, though I can never
figure out why," Cordelia teased, indicating Xander and bringing the mood up.
"What am I getting myself into?" he groaned. And they all laughed and for
a minute, just a minute, it was like old times again.
********************