Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! Just thought I’d do something a little different one day….
Pairing: William and Willow (Main coupling)
A/N: Okay, to explain the method to my madness, I am rewriting New Horizons because I was not happy with some of it, (for example, Willow is a senior now and eighteen) so I'm redoing it and calling it Warrior Legacies. I hope that everyone likes the new changes and this is definitely a work in progress so positive feedback is welcome! Just please don't bash!
Summary: Senior, Willow Rosenberg moves to Sunnydale…and meets a new friend…
Part One—The Introduction
Willow Rosenberg rode her bike from her parents’ new house on Blaine Street, the three blocks, to Sunnydale High on a mild August day. She watched for traffic, feeling intimidated by the kids driving their fast cars, fearing being hit, yet wishing partly inside that she had one herself. Shrugging this off as she knew she had just turned sixteen and her parents were starting new jobs today, that she wouldn’t have a car for probably another year, Willow sighed and tried to adjust her backpack firmly on her back as she pedaled on toward the school.
Willow turned her bike onto Vernon Street, the street of the high school and watched as a cute older couple were outside, on their gray front porch, seated on matching off-white rocking chairs, just rocking away, discussing something and smiling at each other. Willow felt good inside watching it as she rode on by. She was a romantic type of girl and enjoyed seeing couples together…even if she herself had never known what it was like to be liked. She enjoyed seeing others happy. Mom and Dad were happy, they had been together for twenty years themselves, Willow thought smiling. Dad was an executive, or would be starting today, at Bailey Roberts Incorporated. Mom had been an Avon representative in Sweet Briar, but here she would be an Office Clerk at Madison Cosmetics. In a way she would still be selling the products, but not having to go door to door and face commission issues.
Willow watched that morning as they got ready, not fighting, but moving about companionably. Willow secretly wished she could find someone she felt good being around. She’d always kind of been the girl that was good to hang around for study time but never one who was seen as pretty…or worth asking out.
Maybe things will be different here, Willow thought with optimism.
Willow reached the school and all other thoughts went away from her. It was enormous! Much, much larger than the one she went to back home. Two stories high and polished like it had been remodeled with possibly an elevator inside. Money had been spent here, she thought. Willow nervously rode her bike to the bike rack and parked. Moving slowly, Willow started to walk across the expansive parking lot, readjusting her deep blue book bag and continuing to walk. She felt all eyes on her as she did so as though they knew she was new to the school…to the town. Being in town for only a couple of months, it still was very obvious to Willow that she was an outsider. What if she wasn’t liked at all? Would her parents move? Or would she have to put up with being shoved to the side and made to feel an ongoing daily routine of rejection?
Her low confidence sinking even lower, Willow opened the front double doors to the high school and walked inside. She almost walked right back out! The entire main floor was full of students ranging in different ages, grades from sophomore to senior. There had to be three hundred of them in all, huddled in their groups, some in groups of three others larger. Willow felt claustrophobia and her heart pounded. The last school she went to was so much smaller than this. People there knew Willow as Willow, not one out of hundreds. She walked through the crowds, trying to convince herself that once she saw the lockers and found hers, she could go to the office and everything would be okay. She’d be in class and it would be the same as it was in Long Island.
Willow, however, didn’t get that far. Instantly aware of not being wanted, Willow faced three girls who corralled her on her destination. They were taller, stockier, and determined to make it known that she was puny and insignificant. Willow tried to stand firm and be strong, but she didn’t feel firm or strong, she felt weak and afraid. Desiree looked at Monica and Pamela and said, “Look what we have here, girls. A new girl, not much bigger than a thumb tack. And look, she carries such a cute little book bag. Didn’t you say you needed a new one, Monica?” Monica grinned at Desiree then at Willow and said, “Yeah, I did. Hand it over girl.”
Willow would not give her bag away! Her mom and dad just bought it for her. It was hers! She backed away and watched as they started to laugh. They didn’t chase her, but she stick around to see if they did or not. She went out the front double doors and ran away, toward her bike. Crying harder than ever before, Willow rode away from the foreign building and all the scary people inside it. She let her feet pummel down Vernon Street and on to other streets she’d never been to before. Not caring at this point, Willow kept riding. She went on a need for escape, to go somewhere far from where she had just been….
Stopping out by the old Courthouse, Willow put up the kickstand on her ten-speed and walked to the old broken steps. Taking a seat, she wiped her eyes, feeling like a complete idiot for running away like that. But she couldn’t stay, not when she felt so ganged up on like that. She heard the voice in her head that said she was a big baby and it only had her feeling worse because a giant part of her believed it. What was she supposed to do now? Sit at this old building for eight hours? Who knew? She just couldn’t go back to the high school…not today. Maybe not ever.
William had been out on a morning drive that same day. He felt a need to refresh his mind and wake up, after spending half the night before writing his newest book, Dark Palaces. It was a science fiction/drama type of book and he had been working on it for over a year. Now that he was in Sunnydale and had been since last May, William was going to devote his time to it. Already an accomplished author, his profession was based on selling novels. So even though he was comfortable and didn’t have to worry, he wanted to see this one on the shelves and soon.
Driving in his red convertible, William let his concerns slip away and nearly missed seeing the young girl sitting on the porch of a very old two story building. He was about to keep on driving, until he saw her crying. Pulling the car to a stop, across the street from her. Turning off the engine, he climbed out and standing next to his car, leaning against it actually, he said, “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be in class?” He saw her book bag and her bike and figured her to be a young schoolgirl, having a bad day.
Looking up, Willow wiped the tears away and noticed the tall stranger standing across the street from her next to a shiny new convertible. Not that the car really impressed her, but it was pretty. She hiccuped some and said, “I’m taking the day off.” Raising is eyebrows and chuckling over this, William said, “Well this is a nice day to play hooky. That’s for sure.”
Willow saw him smile and felt even worse for how she must look. She stood and said, “Thank you for stopping by to check on me, but I need to…go…back home.”
William watched as she headed to her bike. She wasn’t as young as she first seemed to him. She was high school at least. He dismissed this, however, and said, “You gonna be okay enough inside to ride that thing with the morning traffic as it is?”
Willow turned to him and said, “I’ll be…I’ll be fine.”
William felt he was making her nervous, so he nodded and said, “Good.”
Willow smiled then as she got on her bike. She took in his features more. He looked like he was about twenty, and had very distinct blue eyes. His light brown hair was wavy and mixed with enough blonde to make him attractive to her. She liked guys with blonde hair. Her first crush in elementary school was a blonde headed boy named Neil.
Wondering why she was comparing them, Willow shook he her head and said, “I’m Willow…I guess I shouldn’t tell you that…you being a stranger.” She clamed up nervously, wondering how she could tell someone she never met before her first name! She hoped she hadn’t made a huge mistake and that this guy wasn’t a criminal, waiting to prey on her. It would be her luck after this morning’s ordeal, she thought miserably.
William took in her tears and the way she fidgeted now and said with a kind chuckle, “You can relax around me Willow. I’m not going to ask where you live or stalk you. I was just out for a morning drive. You sure you’re alright? You look pretty upset.”
Willow wiped more tears and said more openly now, unable not to be with his compassion she clearly heard in his voice, “I am. I got ready for school this morning, telling myself that this was a new place that I might have a chance at being liked. I didn’t’ expect to become instantly popular, you know? But I hoped I’d at least get through the first day!”
William was interested in this now as he said, “What happened?”
Willow told him what happened and found herself wiping even more tears that fell. William looked at her from across the street and said, “Sounds pretty bad.” Willow said, “It is. But what is worse,” she looked up and said stronger, “is that I let them win. I ran out of there scared because I thought they were going to steal my bag, of all things a stupid bag! I let them win.” She said again. Continuing she added, “I’ve always been like that. Never stood up much, but I told myself that maybe now that I was in a new place with kids who don’t know me, that I’d have a chance to start over. I was only kidding myself. I’ll always be like this…a girl in the shadows.” William saw something else in her though, something stronger than the image she was trying to give off in her words. He said, “You don’t seem a girl in the shadows to me. You just had a bad day.”
Willow said heatedly, “I’m eighteen, not eight.” Nodding, William said, “Exactly. So tomorrow, you go in there and look them girls in the eyes and tell them that you are no doormat. That you are Willow and that you are not about to be walked on anymore by them.” Pausing to get her attention,
William added, “Mean it and you’ve won your battle, I think.”
Feeling she’d shared something very personal and liking it, Willow said, “Thanks. Well…I’ve got to go. Do you live here?”
William started walking to around his car as he said, “Just moved here myself, the beginning of summer.” Willow was lost in this experience, so she was more liberal than usual. She asked, “You move here with family? Or to be near them?”
William stopped and looking at Willow more fully, he said, “I moved here to write a book. And because Sunnydale seemed like a pretty town.”
Willow said, “It is…or at least it looks that way. I just wish…”
William held his sunglasses in his hands as he said, “Willow, without coming on like a stalker, I’m going to tell you something that has helped me.” Willow said swallowing her nerves and excitement that she felt being near him, “Okay.”
William replied, “Life is full of new experiences, changes, things that come at us. For you it was facing a pack of girls who weren’t very welcoming to someone new. For me it has been…” letting out a sigh, William added, “coming here, to a place that is bound to surprise me with people who are very talkative, where I’m not, and finding new ways to start my life over. Either way it is scary, but we have to face it in order to move forward.” Nodding, agreeing with his point, Willow said, “We do.”
William said, “Well I’ve enjoyed meeting you, Willow.”
Willow said, “I have too. Even though I don’t’ know your name…” What was in her today to be so open with a stranger?
William replied, “It’s William, William Berkley.”
With that, he got in his car and drove away. Willow, however, stood shocked. She had just shared her first day miseries with a famous writer of science fiction! What was more, that affected her the most actually, was knowing that in a twenty-minute setting, she had felt comfortable talking with someone, a guy. Finally, she had found someone willing to listen without running away or calling her strange. Willow rode her bike back to school, refusing to take the day off now. But she wouldn’t forget meeting William Berkley. In fact she hoped to see him again soon….
TBC…
Last edited by Angie on Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:38 pm, edited 8 times in total.
Willow did go back to the high school that day and she faced up with the three girls who were so mean to her. After she showed she wasn’t afraid of them, they backed off. And things were much better for her. Weeks went by and Willow became more and more adjusted to Sunnydale High. She enjoyed her classes and was doing very well. Again, though she noted that people in the room, especially guys were most interested in her if she could offer notes. The more regular comment she got was, “Hey Willow, I lost my notes over the weekend. Can I copy yours?”
For awhile she bent on it, but after two months of it, she had begun to say no. It was hard at first because Willow was timid by nature, but saying it enough times it became easy. Otherwise, she was really enjoying her senior year. Her grades were high A’s and B’s and she was already picturing the award ceremony at the end of the year. And graduation.
Now that midterms were right around the corner, Willow was studying harder. She found the library on Boone Avenue and was there every Saturday. She didn’t get into partying so it was a nice escape and gave her time to either study her books or to enjoy others that crossed her mind.
Here lately though she’d begun wondering about the stranger who stopped her that day at the Courthouse, a couple months ago. What was he up to? She had started reading more of his works. They were very suspenseful and kept her up nights when she had the time to spend…and some nights when she had let herself push through homework to read more of it.
They felt so real…he was that good at writing fiction. Willow often fell asleep with a book on her lap and awoke the next day finding it on the floor or on the bed someplace beneath the blankets.
Mom and Dad knew nothing about that introduction, or about her recent need to read all his works. They were Willow’s little secrets. She felt it was innocent, as it didn’t stop her from studying for school or passing her classes.
Today, she got ready in her blue jeans and long sleeved green shirt, leaving her long hair down along her back, shining red and bringing out the blue in her eyes. She grabbed her books in her book bag and started for the front door of her parents’ house. Mom stopped her and said, “Off to the library again honey?”
Nodding, Willow turned to her lovely mother and said with a smile, “Yeah…I’ve…I’ve got some books to return and I need to do some studying. Midterms are this week, coming up. If you don’t care, I’ll… probably be gone most of the day.”
Willow’s mom said confidently, “I don’t mind. Just watch out for traffic. Take your yellow sweater in case you’re out after it gets dark.”
Willow smiled nervously and said, “I will…”
Mallory Rosenberg had high hopes for Willow. She was her only child and was very bright. Unlike her mom who didn’t make college, Willow would, she told herself again as she hugged her before she left the house for the library. Willow didn’t let boys interfere with her life. She was strong and sure of where she was going. She would make it, Mallory thought, smiling with pride as she watched Willow ride her bike out of the driveway, to the library.
Riding her bike down the street, Willow focused on the trip, on staying on the sidewalk, obeying the law, and doing what she should. Part of her though wondered if on the way there or back if she would run into William again. Okay, she hoped she would, Willow thought honestly. She hoped she would because then she could talk with him again. It wasn’t so much loneliness or a puppy dog type of feeling that caused this but something else. She saw William as a friend and reading his stories she felt connected to him. At times when she was alone in her room reading, she pictured herself as the female characters…he as the male. More than once she felt stirrings of fuzziness that left her thinking of him. Now as she rode her maroon bike down the street reaching the corner that would take her in the end to the library, Willow blushed. Where would he be today? Working on his book?
Crossing into the parking lot of the tall brick building that was the library, Willow parked her bike at the rack and started walking up the sidewalk, around the corner, and on up to the steps of the Sunnydale Public Library. It was nice sized, Willow thought again. She liked it here.
Opening the door, Willow walked inside and headed to the bronzed counter. Saying hello to Betsy, the girl who worked there, Willow dropped her books into the vault below and walked the remaining several steps to her favorite—and quite secluded—table in the corner. Opening her book bag she began to take out books. In minutes she had them all piled high on her little table.
She tried to ground her mind into the things she had to study…but her thoughts returned to William. She couldn’t explain how in one setting she felt such a connection or why she wanted to see him again. It was so unlike her! But she did feel it. She did miss him. She did wonder where he was, what he was doing, when she might see him again. It was obsession she told herself. Pathetic, ridiculous and sad of her to think of a man who was probably seeing a beautiful woman much older than she. She shook her head in this dismal thought, looking at herself and seeing a girl who wanted to be beautiful but wound up looking studious and grounded. Shrugging her shoulders, Willow tried to put these depressing thoughts aside and opened her Literature book. Oh she had more important work to keep her mind busy, she told herself.
But he was still there—in her thoughts and in some measure, her heart.
William sat at his own private table in the library, not far from Willow, going over his notes he had written in the past week. He had to somehow put them together and type them at home. He resembled a bookworm himself as he held a pencil in his hand and glasses sat on his nose. He looked at his penciled writings and read them over again in his mind. Something just didn’t click. Did he want to say that the villain was in the closet, waiting for her to come home? Or that he was in her backseat, waiting for her to see him in her rearview mirror on the drive home? Why did both things sound like something he rented a month ago?
Shaking his head, William dropped the pages and let his mind wander again to what had been on it for several weeks now. His own guilt. Something in him kept seeing the redheaded girl he met by chance that August day. He had no right to think of her. But he ad been thinking about her. He chucked it to the fact that she was eighteen and in the time period he came from that would make her capable of dating. She was capable of dating now…if he wasn’t over a century old and didn’t already have a past that he was trying to live down. Something else was entering his mind here lately too, nagging at him. It came to him in dreams in the form of flashbacks, reminding him of his past. Things that he had done when he was a young man, hanging with the boys. Running wild being foolish. Then when he turned to a vampire, what it was like for him to have his pick of the litter, whatever he wanted. Using fear to get it, he thought repugnantly now.
Now that I am past that time, I write science fiction novels based upon it. He chuckled quietly over this revelation. He was pouring out his own feelings, a lot of his own experiences onto pages and selling them. Enough was underdone that he felt it was fiction, so he didn’t mind selling it as such.
He didn’t want to think about that, though, so he let his mind go back to Willow. Smiling, he wondered what she was up to. Probably hanging out with friends, going to the movies, being a teenager, he thought, and what was he doing? He was thinking about her. Human long enough to reach his twenty-fifth birthday, William thought about how much older he was than she. Taking his glasses off to rub his nose, William answered lowly, “Too damn old.” He’d seen too much, done too much to toy with the idea of a eighteen-year-old girl.
He was about to tell himself again for the thousandth time since seeing her that day that he needed to forget meeting her when he watched the same girl walking to B section of the fiction aisle. He watched as she brought out a book and had her nose immediately in it. Ever the bookworm, he thought with a smile. He knew about that. What got his attention though was when he leaned forward enough to see the cover of the book she held. It was one of his, he knew. She stood holding it in the middle of the floor, flipping pages and fantasizing. Maybe it was him who was fantasizing. Forcing that past himself, William tossed the idea of going over there. Instead, he just sat and watched as Willow continued to read Balmy Moontides. It happened then that William realized that she wasn’t just a girl. Not a child at any rate. This was a young woman. That somehow gave William hope. Maybe there was a chance, slim at best, that he could get up the nerve to approach her. Today just wasn’t the day.
Willow looked up in that moment and met his eyes. Smiling, she showed him the cover of his book and slowly began to walk his way….
The school was full of activity that Friday morning on the 31st, Willow thought as she walked inside at eight. The popular ones had put together a banner that was over the main wall that you saw when you walked into the foyer of the school. It said, “All Hallow’s Eve: Have You Dressed Your Gooliest Today?” Rolling her eyes with a grin, Willow walked to her locker. She wasn’t one who believed in dressing up anymore. She felt too old.
Unlike the rest that seemed to be in a desire to holler and make wild sounds throughout class, Willow saw today as the same as yesterday and went to classes routinely. At lunch, she took her tray and sat at the table across from her newest friend, Buffy Summers. She seemed like a sweet girl, different from Willow in the respect that she liked partying, going to the Bronze regularly. But otherwise she was turning into a good friend. She didn’t expect Willow to share notes and she was funny.
Willow sat down and said with a smile to her blonde friend, “Hey, Buffy.”
Buffy looked away from the jocks who were preening in their jock attire with fake blood covering it and said to Willow with a smile, “They are twisted.”
Willow took a look and nodding her head she said, “More like brain fried. It’s like…everybody just shuts off on this day…you know?”
Buffy said, “I know. I don’t get it either. But….it is cute to watch. Especially that one,” pointing to one of the jocks, Buffy said, “Seth Warren. He is a hottie.”
The rest of the group joined them at the table then and Willow forgot what she was about to say. Crowds did that to her. She just smiled faintly and continued to eat her food. When Anya and Xander started in on their goulie talk and Cordelia stopped by with her pack of socialites, Willow looked at Buffy and said, “Buffy, I hate to be rude…but…I’ve got some work I’ve left unfinished.”
Swallowing a spoonful of ice cream, Buffy said with a grin, “Will you really should learn to take time off for lunch.”
Willow said, “I can’t…it’s too ingrained I guess.”
Smiling at her new friend, Buffy said, “I know. Well I’ll see you tonight won’t I, at the Bronze?”
Willow squirmed and hedged over that one. She had had zero intentions of going to that blast of a party that everyone at Sunnydale High spoke of. She shrugged and said instead, “Not sure. Possibly.”
Nodding, Buffy said, “Good. See you then.” She turned her eyes back to the jock and Willow made her escape.
She really did have work to do. She went to the lab room and continued to work on her assignment…that wasn’t due for a week. She just hated crowds and the Scoobies as they called themselves were very loud at times. Willow was quiet and to herself. She liked it that way.
So it didn’t bother her now that she was alone. She worked some more on the project. Then catching something out of the corner of her eye at the window, she turned and saw…and got happily nervous! It was William. She smiled and waved. He pointed for her to follow him, so she grabbed her purse and books and walked out of the classroom, through the door that led outside. She met him on the school grounds.
Once they were alone, William looked at Willow and said, “Hey.”
Willow smiled shyly up at William and said, “Hey. How are you?”
Teenagers using the Bathroom excuse were outside smoking. William said, “I’m good.” Looking toward the lab room, William said, “So what were you working on?”
Grinning, Willow looked in too and said, “Oh, just a school lab project. We have to mix two liquids together to see if we can form a solid.” William said, “How’s it turning out?” Willow rolled her eyes and said, “Pretty good. I think it’s going to be cool when it’s done, but it’s only halfway done.”
William looked to make sure they were still alone and said, “I won’t stay long, Willow. I was out jogging and thought I’d stop by and see you. I wanted to see my loyal book reading fan.”
Willow smiled up at him and moving toward him a little more than she normally did with guys…or anyone…Willow said, “I am a big fan. You know that, I think. From seeing me in the library.”
William grinned and said, “Yeah. You’re pretty smart to read Sci Fi books of that size. I was impressed by it. I still think it is. Willow I have been thinking about you and I’m sure that it’s not a good thing.”
Willow looked up at him as she inched forward more and said, “Why is that? Am I going to find out you’re…you’re…a vengance demon from Doon Hill? Or a criminal waiting in my closet?” She grinned over this, borrowing his characters from favorite novels of hers that he’d written.
William chuckled over this at first, then let it sink in how close he really was at one time to those creatures…even though he didn’t hide in closets he did enough damning things to name him a criminal. He smiled for a moment, trying to remember that he was human and past that life as he said, “No. No evil plots run in me, I’m nothing like that.” He wasn’t anymore. He added, “I’m not.” He grinned and said, “But I am older than you.”
Willow stopped him from going by saying, “It doesn’t feel that way. Who says…who says we have to be the same age? I mean…Buffy is dating a guy from…from the…the tech school in Bridgetown. He’s…in his twenties.”
Realizing she had just told him that she was interested in him despite his age, Willow clammed up again. She looked down and said, “I’m not trying to sound excuse happy. If you want to go, then go ahead.”
William moved a piece of Willow’s long straight red hair over her shoulder and levelly looking in her eyes, he said, “Willow I don’t want to go.”
Willow was not backing down or feeling insignificant now. She looked him in the eyes and smiled saying, “So stay here. I like you being here.”
William said, “I like being here too. But I should probably go.” Looking at the clock outside on the building across from where they were, hearing it strike one, William said, “You’re bell’s ringing.”
Willow shrugged and said, “Who cares?” She looked at his jogging outfit, his blue shirt and black sweats and touching his hands with hers she said, “I don’t want you to leave.”
William looked into Willow’s eyes and said, “I don’t either.” Leaning with Willow against the red brick wall of the high school, William kissed Willow starting a new beginning for them both…
Willow got through the day at school, but it was interesting. Her thoughts weren’t on studying—for the first time in a very long time they were on a guy. She had been thinking about how romantic it was when William moved with her against the wall, then kissed her all sweet and romantic like. How strange that was to think about that someone could see her as pretty. No one else ever had. It was startling as much as it was exciting. Willow didn’t know how to react or what to do about it. This was a new road for her. Or maybe it wasn’t, Willow thought anxiously. Maybe now that they had shared the kiss maybe he would be afraid of seeing her again. He’d made it clear that he was older than she was. Maybe the kiss would scare him off.
It was frustrating! But Willow let herself be a girl for a change, a girl who could think of boys and not the upcoming test she had to study for or the lab project that was due next week. It was…nice, she had to admit.
As she rode her bike home that afternoon, Willow thought about all the things she had forbidden herself from thinking about for eighteen years. She thought about dating, figuring out a guy who was so mysterious yet kind, someone she definitely liked and who apparently liked her….
Willow had kicked off her shoes and was sitting in her room, writing in a diary she wrote in regularly when her mom knocked on her bedroom door. “Willow, honey?”
Closing her diary that she had filled with I like William, Willow said, “Mom?”
Mallory opened the door a crack and said, “Your friends Buffy and Anya are here.”
Letting out a sigh, Willow said, “They can come in.”
Mallory said, “Okay.”
Great, they were here to corral her to the Bronze! Even though deep down Willow didn’t want to go. She wanted to stay here and think of William. Oh well, she could think of him on the way there, Willow thought. On second thought, she’d tell them no. She didn’t want to go, so she didn’t have to.
Buffy walked inside with Anya moments later. They were dressed up tonight. Buffy wore a black mini dress that clung in places, showing her pretty shape. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a clip. Anya was in a lavender blouse and blue jean skirt. Her curly red-auburn hair down along her shoulders. Both smiled mischievously at Willow. She was about to hear it, Willow thought, trying her best to prepare her response.
Buffy did start, “Come on Will. The Bronze awaits.”
Anya added, “I can’t wait to convince Xander that dancing is a cool thing to do.”
Willow surprised herself by saying, “Dancing is cool. You…should tell Xander that.”
Anya rolled her eyes as she said, “I’ve tried.”
Willow said, “Try harder. He’s not superhuman…just a guy.”
Willow missed Buffy’s grin and the wheels that were turning as she continued to encourage Anya. Finally, Buffy said, “Well it’s getting late. Come on girls.”
Willow had started to say something against this idea when Anya pleaded, “I need your help, Willow. You will be my defense when I tell Xander to get out there and dance with me.”
Willow hedged, “Anya, I was just offering advice…”
Buffy said, “And it was good advice. Now as I’ve said more than once, the Bronze awaits. Willow you are a teenager, live a little.”
Giving Buffy a long look, Willow said, “Fine. I’ll come.” Mom may not let me go, Willow thought. But she would ask.
Willow said, “Let me change first.”
The girls waited in the hall as Willow went through her closet. She pulled out deep green leggings and the green shirt she wore to school that day to match. Slipping on her tennis shoes, Willow pulled her hair up as she looked in the mirror, twisting it to see if it looked good as Buffy had hers. Feeling too much like Buffy and not enough like Willow, she let it fall naturally. Running her fingers through the thin mass of hair, she walked out the door. Meeting her sabotaging friends, Buffy and Anya, Willow walked downstairs behind them not so eager to see her mom and dad’s reactions to her going out to the Bronze with her two best friends….
Getting out was easier than Willow thought. Mom and Dad took one look at Willow and it was just that simple. They said, “Be careful.” Willow always liked their trust in her, but tonight for some reason it felt too easy. Like maybe they should have asked what kind of place it was she was going to. What people did there. It was as though they saw her as above it…and for that Willow felt a tad of resentment. She wasn’t any different from Buffy or Anya, she had times when she wanted to be wild! She’d never really let herself explore it for fear of consequences, but it was there, like with any teenager. Just because she got into science and her studies that didn’t mean her heart didn’t tempt her from time to time. Thinking of William and their shared kiss, Willow smiled to herself. They didn’t know everything about their Willow. Liking that, Willow walked more confidently into the Bronze that night feeling she wasn’t quite the brainy unliked girl she had always felt she was. Maybe she could emerge into a confident independent woman this year. She hoped so.
William was seated at a table, drinking a cola and watching the clock on the wall, telling himself he could stay for another hour, two maximum, then he was going back to the house and his story. He kept a time on himself to stay focused. It was part of what kept him driven to publish his stories in a third of the time that other writers he had known did theirs. Not that saw himself as better than anyone, but he knew if he didn’t stay assertive he would become lazy. That wouldn’t get the book published. He had stories on his computer that were started and unfinished due to the “I’ll do it tomorrow” attitude.
There was a time he didn’t give a bleep about whether or not he got anything done. He had his own rules and they included being as loud, bad, and outrageous as he could. Maybe that was why he was so determined to stay focused now. Because there was a time when he wasn’t, when nothing mattered, when he could be a bastard and get away with it. Some life, he thought in retrospect. This one was better, he told himself. It involved writing, something he loved, and getting a chance to walk the earth again as a human, a chance to do things differently. He thought of Willow. She was a surprise. He never expected to meet her. The kiss they shared was sweet, it reminded him of what it was like to be innocent. He remembered it now with a smile.
She would meet someone else though and get involved with friends. All he was right now was a crush to her. William smiled broader over this. It was flattering. What was she to him? Not knowing really, William took another drink of his soda.
Just then, Willow walked inside with her two friends. He pegged Buffy he presumed at seeing the blonde dressed like Cat Woman in slinky black, who thought she was something special as she walked down the steps. The other girl was pretty in her Daphne look off of Scooby Doo—or so he guessed. His eyes didn’t last long on them however. They found their way to Willow and stayed there. She may walk in slower than the other two girls, but she was more a lady than either of them or any other in this room, combined.
The music was upbeat, the Cranberries were playing here tonight, Willow thought, impressed. They sang Linger so powerfully that Willow made her way through crowds without thinking about it. Willow found herself giggling with Buffy and Anya over Xander and Rick, Buffy’s boyfriend. Both guys met the girls here.
The room had strobe light that washed over the room hitting some leaving others in the dark. Willow smiled, enjoying watching how it worked, offhandedly, while listening to her friends. They found a table, close to the middle of the room, and dropped their purses. Willow watched as Buffy and Rick went dancing almost immediately. She looked at Anya and caught the way she fought getting Xander to listen. Feeling brave since she was here, Willow walked over and said, “Hey, Xander?” Xander looked up and said with aggravation in his brown eyes, “Yeah?”
Willow folded her arms over her chest and said, “Quit being a butt and get out there on the dance floor with Anya. Before she chooses to dance with some other better looking guy here.”
Xander grinned and said, “Well, well, well. You do have a voice.”
Smiling, Willow said, “Yeah…I do. Now get going.”
Xander said, “Yes, ma’am. Come on, An.” Anya whispered thank you to Willow and got on the floor with her boyfriend.
She realized then that she stood alone. Oh well. She’d been alone before. Willow turned to get herself some punch when she met William, standing not far off, smiling at her. For a second, Willow didn’t know if she should smile and go along or stand here and nod her head, continuing her night alone. Of course this didn’t last, this attempt to go along with his idea of it being too serious. She was already letting herself think about him too much. It was serious for her.
So she smiled and hollered out through a deafening crowd, “Hi.”
William walked over to her. It took a minute because the room was body to body. He wore blue jeans and a black shirt. He looked hot, Willow thought with a blush that had her skin going warm. His kiss came back to her, causing her to feel the beginnings of desires that she had never felt before, as she watched him walk the last steps to her in the Bronze.
William met Willow and said through the loudness, “Hey girl. How are you doing?”
Smiling, she said, “Good. You?”
William took in the noise and the crowds and ignoring them now, he said, “I’m good. I saw you coming in with your friends and thought there’s my bookworm, the girl who reads all my books.” He smiled fondly at Willow.
Willow looked him in the eyes and said honestly, hurt, “That’s nice. I’m just the girl who grabs your books in the library and reads them.”
William watched as Willow’s smile faded then and said, “I didn’t mean it like that, Willow.”
Willow said bluntly, “I think I’m going to go dancing. If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Berkely.”
Willow walked around him and started to find her friends on the floor when William said, “Will, wait.” He walked up to her and said, “Willow?”
Willow turned around and said, “What?”
William said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, or made it seem that way.”
Willow said, “If you like me, William, then treat me that way. If all I am is a fan to you, then tell me that now. I’ll go on reading your work and leave you be.”
Eyes wide with impressive thoughts inside him, William said, “Willow you aren’t a fan to me. I like you, I’m interested in you, in this way.” He kissed her lips.
Willow kissed him back and smiled up at him.
William said, “How about we take off? Go and hang out somewhere less like we’re jammed in a concert and more where we can talk and not have to scream. Sound good?”
Willow looked around the room anxiously and said, “Yeah…it does. Except…I…I came with friends…” Resolving the alternative, she thought that she could walk home. So she said, “Let me tell them I’m going.”
Nodding, William waited as Willow walked to Buffy and her other friend to tell them bye.
Willow looked at Buffy and said, “Buffy! I’m going.”
Buffy initially said, “You can’t! You just got here.”
Willow said, “I’m going with someone. That guy over there.” Buffy looked in the direction of William, looking him up and down quickly without being seen by Rick, and said, “All right! Go Willow.” Then she pulled Willow to the side and opening her purse she dug out some rubbers and put them into Willow’s hand to put in her purse. She whispered mischievously, “Just in case….”
Willow handed them back and said, “I’m not even sure he likes me like that. I sure don’t need those for just a friend. Thanks anyway.”
Shaking her head, Willow walked over to William and said, “I’m back.”
William started to walk with Willow out of the managerie of the Bronze when all hell broke loose. It was as though darkness and its followers had entered the club as they opened the doors and infiltrated themselves into the crowds. Catching the screams of the innocent, William took Willow’s hand and said, “Let’s get out of here, Willow.”
Willow hurried ahead with William watching as demon faced creatures fought dancers and minglers. Some of them kids she went to school with. She found herself turning and calling her friends, telling them to get out, but as she turned she caught a creature coming at her! She screamed.
William snapped its neck and said, “Willow we have to get out of here.”
Willow looked up at William and said, “You just…broke his neck.”
William gave her a long flat look and said, “I know.”
Confused, Willow said, “How…how did you do that?”
William said, “I’ll tell you another time. Right now we have to go. Before I have to kill more of them.”
Just then, both Willow and William witnessed Buffy in action. She had stakes and everything, kept hidden well enough that Willow knew nothing of them. She fought one demon after another. Winning with each and every one.
Willow said, “She’s Buffy…my friend.”
William stared at her now, but not with a love interest, though with a keen one that had him mumbling, “She’s more than that. Come on. I’ve got to get you out of here.” He walked with Willow, getting her out of the club. Once they were outside, he walked her hurriedly to his car. He said, “Climb in, Will. I’m gonna take you home.”
Willow said nervously, “I…I’m not sure I should…” William looked at Willow and said, “I’m not going to hurt you, Willow.”
Swallowing her fears enough to speak without sounding erratic, Willow said, “You broke that guy’s neck in there.”
William said, “He wasn’t a guy. He was a demon.”
Willow gave him a long look and said, “Yeah right. There are no such things.”
Suddenly the parking lot was filling with them and William said, “Whatever name you wish to call them, they are coming after you. Do you want to be next?”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “No…but I won’t be afraid of them either. There…there just guys dressed up in costumes…right?”
Willow dallied out of her nervousness and confusion and a few managed to get within arms reach of her. Willow said, “I’ve got to see for myself what they are.”
One of the creatures got to within a few inches of Willow, he was considerably taller than she and was saying, “Sweets for me. Goodie.” Repulsed, Willow said, “You wish!” Something inside her came alive as she dropkicked him to the ground, causing immense pain in his groin area. Having him at her advantage, she yanked on his head, trying to get to the man inside. When all she got was sore hands and scales, she moved back startled.
The green demon took this as his chance and attempted to pull her to him, reaching to his side for his sharp knife. Willow was smarter. She confiscated the blade out of his hand by elbowing his arm sharp enough that he dropped it. Grabbing it quickly with a speed she didn’t know she possessed, Willow sent it soundly into his heart, repeatedly, saying, “Die you bastard!”
Standing, she faced off with the other demons, with William beside her. They were quite a team and managed to surprise one other person who came running at the scream thinking it was her call. Buffy stood in shock as she watched Willow, her best friend, and her boyfriend, whoever he was, fighting off the bad guys.
When it was over, Willow watched as Buffy walked to her and said to her, “Buffy! I’m glad you made it out. Is Anya okay?”
Buffy’s thoughts were on figuring out this boyfriend of Willow’s. There was something familiar about him. She said passively, then recalling her voice how it sounded she said firmer, “She’s fine, Will. On her way home in fact. So…now that that is over with, want to introduce me to your boyfriend?”
Willow said, “Before I go there, how on earth did you…?” She trailed off unable to say more.
Buffy looked at Willow, then pointedly at William as she said, “I didn’t tell you something, Willow. Something important about me. I had been told not to tell anyone. But since you saw this…tonight…I am going to. It has to stay between us…all three of us I guess.” Receiving nods from both, Buffy said, “I’m the slayer.”
Willow said, “Oh…I see.” Turning to William she said, “Take me home, William.”
William said, “Yeah. I think it’s time. Go ahead, I’ll be right there, Will.”
Nodding, still in shock, Willow did go to the car and climbed in.
William looked at Buffy when he was sure they were alone and said, “Hello Slayer.”
Buffy said, “Spike. I’m surprised to see you here.”
William said, “I don’t go by that name and haven’t in a long time.”
Buffy said, “I see. I care…because?”
William said, “Back off!”
Buffy said, “Oh but seeing your fear makes it fun.”
William got in her face and said, “I’m not afraid of you, girl. I fought you before, remember?”
Nodding, remembering too well, Buffy said, “Yeah, I remember. I was ten years old but I remember real well. Just like I remember watching you go after my older sister Rebecca—the former slayer—and take her out. Along with countless others in San Francisco. You would have gone after me harder if my family hadn’t moved!”
William’s eyes lowered to the ground as he said, “I’m sorry.”
Buffy said, “For what? Being a jerk, killing hundreds of people? Or just hurting me worst of all by killing my sister, my closest friend in the world?”
William looked up at her and said, “Look I mean it. I can’t take any of it back. I’m doing time here living with the memories, trust me. And I’ve changed, Buffy. Not that it matters to you, but I am human and evidently a fighter still. My life is not anywhere near what it was.”
Buffy said, “I don’t give a damn. You are still the picture of deception. You walk around in your jeans and nice shirts, driving a high dollar convertible and flirting with a eighteen-year-old girl. But I remember…I remember when you lived in worse and did abominable things. You might get her to believe what you tell her, but I know differently.”
William said, “Fine. I don’t expect you to change your way of seeing me. That would be asking too much.”
Nodding, Buffy said, “Yeah. It would.”
William said, “Okay. But Willow—she doesn’t know that part of me. All she sees is…a writer, a friend, someone who likes her for her. She doesn’t know a thing about that other life.”
Buffy chuckled dryly and said, “It’s funny how you stand there and refer to your treacherous killing spree of an existence as a former life experience. I’m tired…and Willow is waiting on you, with one heck of a story you get to tell big boy. I wish you the best.” She said sarcastically as she walked away.
William walked back to the car, deciding then and there that he had a choice. Leave Sunnydale as he had San Francisco and countless other places in his life, or stick it out and fight to prove he had changed. It would be easy to leave. But leaving was not William’s style anymore. The fact was William knew at this point that he cared about Willow and therefore leaving was not possible.
He just could never tell her about who he used to be. That part of him that he wished he could forget…
TBC…
Continuing from All Hallow’s Eve. Later that night….
William drove from the Bronze with Willow beside him. He glanced over at her every few minutes, noticing her staring off in the same state of shock she was in before they left. It concerned him. He finally got out, “Will? You gonna be okay?”
Willow said numbly, “I’m…I’m fine.” She wasn’t and deep inside Willow was aware of it. Her insides were filled with dread and fears and questions she had no answers to. She smelled like demon blood and she knew as William approached her house that she couldn’t go inside. Turning to him she let go of her pride as she said, “I can’t go in their, William.”
William reached his hand out and touched her hair saying, “Sure you can. You just walk in and head off to the bathroom, take a long bath. You’ll be back to Willow and everything will be fine.”
Shaking her head and feeling some of the hysteria she had being fighting breaking free, she said, “No…No I won’t. It won’t. I’m not sure…I’m not sure that…that it is ever going to be possible.” Facing him, she said, “Keep driving, William.”
William saw she was serious so he said, “Where?”
Willow said in her frozen state, “Wherever.”
William said, “I was going to drop you off and go home, to my apartment.” Grinning he said, “But I don’t think that is what you were after.”
Willow looked at William and said, “If it has a bathroom where I can shower, I don’t care right now.”
William stopped his car long enough to figure Willow out, to find out if she was okay. She looked okay…her voice sounded the same…but there was something that was off. He said quietly, “What will your parents think, Willow if you spend the night at my place?”
Willow’s emotions moved from detachment to hurt and that realm of upset she felt earlier about their not asking about where she was going. She said directly, “My parents don’t know me…nobody does. I don’t even know who I am right now.”
William took that in and focused on the road as it took him to the fancier parts of Sunnydale, to his apartment. Technically a condo, it was white with tall glass windows on two levels neatly separated by a wide deck that went out far enough to be able to sit on at night and watch the moon, the stars, and the ocean waves as they blew in gushes of water. To top it off, a white picket fence surrounded it. It was on the beach. Pulling up into the drive, William parked and said, “Here we are.”
Willow climbed out mechanically and looked up at the condo saying, “It is beautiful.”
William looked at it once then said, “It’s out in the edge of town where I can be alone if I want. But not so far from people, if I want the company. I can look out there,” pointing down to a section of the beach where more condos stood, he said, “and find other neighbors. I like it.”
Smelling the salt and sea, Willow smiled some and said, “I do too.” Glancing up high in search of the moon, Willow said, “Look, a full moon.”
William walked over to Willow as he looked up at the sky. He said, “Now that’s Halloween, a full moon. All we need now is a black cat.”
Shivering, Willow said at first, “Not for me.” Then she grinned as he clasped her hand in his and added, “This is better than any creature going bump in the night.”
William said, “We’ve both had enough of that I think for one night.” He unlocked his front door and shutting off his alarm, he opened the door. Willow looked at the opening, then up at William and knew when she walked inside she might be saying goodbye to her innocence. But she felt she’d done that already in a very large degree by killing demons in the parking lot of the Bronze. All fairytales were gone now. What was here was reality. She looked up at William and forcing courage forward, she walked in, in front of him.
William shut the door behind them. He locked the door and reset the alarm….
Willow was nervous at first as she walked into William’s house. This was the first guys house she had ever been in. Certainly the first guy she’d ever gone home with. Feeling vulnerable, Willow wondered how many others he had brought here. She wondered what coming here meant. She was so naïve, she thought. She’d told him she liked him, that she was interested…didn’t this just show that she was willing too? Hugging herself, Willow heard William come up behind her.
He said with a grin while taking off his jacket, “Kick off your shoes, stay awhile.” She turned and smiling, kicked out of her shoes and said, “Thanks…”
William walked into his kitchen and said, “Come on, I’ll get you a soda. You like Mountain Dew, right?”
Nodding, Willow said, “Yeah. You remembered I drank that? How did you remember?” She grinned as she followed him into the kitchen and took a seat at his polished wooden table.
Grabbing her can, William grinned friendly-like and said, “I saw you drinking it tonight at the Bronze. Or I guessed you were, since I saw drinks at the table.”
Smiling, Willow watched him bring her poured soda in a glass to the table and taking it she said, “Yeah, we all got drinks right after getting there. That’s cool that you noticed."
William shrugged sexily and sat comfortably across from Willow and said, “So. What do you think about Sunnydale now?”
Thinking of everything that happened tonight, Willow’s emotions expanded inside her as she said, “I think that there’s a lot about this town and about me that I don’t know…I think that I’m worried about who I am. What kind of person I am. I’ve never done karate before…or killed anything. Except in Lab when I needed to for science.”
William said gently, “Well if it helps, what I saw was a brave girl who if anything defended Sunnydale tonight, by fighting those demons with me.”
Smiling, Willow said, “Thanks.”
William said, “You’re welcome. So what do you want to do? We could go in the living room and watch some TV or I could fix something, if you’re hungry.”
Shrugging, Willow said, “I’m okay, right now. I just like sitting here…or actually, I’d like to sit a little closer if I can.”
William got up and moved his chair closer to hers saying, “You can.”
Willow looked at who she was sitting next to and her feelings that she felt when reading his stories, when talking to him, when seeing him tonight at the Bronze, they all got stronger.
William was near her enough he smelled the blood from the demons, he smelled the Mountain Dew on her breath. He wanted to kiss her.
Touching her forearms, William said, “Willow I’m here if you want to talk about tonight. I mean more than we have.”
Willow shook her head and said, “We’ve talked about it.”
William said, “You look like it’s still bothering you. You’ve been staring off for awhile. Holding it in isn’t good.”
Willow believed that. She believed it wasn’t good to hold in her feelings. But how could she share them?
May as well be open, Willow thought. Risk it. So she said nervously, “William, I’m past the demon thing. What I’m thinking about isn’t that.”
William said, “What is it? Will, if it’s about me and being here, I’m not going to do anything, or push you into anything. I’m not that way.”
Willow smiled. He was jittery! She liked that. It was sweet and romantic. Willow moved her hands up to his shirt and looking into his blue eyes she said, “I know you’re not…but I am thinking about you, wanting to kiss you.”
William’s attention was there now. Moving his lips closer to hers, William kissed Willow, in a nice way. Willow scooted her chair closer yet to William, moving her legs out around his. Opening her mouth, Willow kissed William again and held onto his shirt.
The clock in William’s kitchen said it was after 1:00 AM and everything was quiet, except for his refrigerator that made noise, his PC in the other room that made its running sounds. Nothing else was going on, except William and Willow who were kissing. The window in his kitchen, over the sink was open a crack and the fresh air was blowing in. It was dark outside, the middle of the night, and making out was relaxing.
Willow wasn’t relaxed. She wasn’t nervous now either. She got up on her feet and looking into his eyes she said, “Have you ever wanted to sleep with someone but didn’t know how to say it? Because you never were in that position before?”
William was a tad surprised but he collected himself and said, “Yes. I have.”
Willow said, “I…I don’t know how to say it…”
William stood slowly and looked down into her eyes. William said, “I’ll say it. I want you.”
Willow felt shocked and said, “Really? You really want me?”
William lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. He put feeling into it, his wants and the fire that was inside him that needed her body and had for sometime.
Willow wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, and replied, “I want you too. Oh William…I want you.”
Picking her up, William carried Willow into the living room. Moving his coffee table back and everything else out of the way, he started to walk toward her.
Willow walked over to the patio door and opened it saying, “I like the air from outside, from the sea.”
Looking over his body, over his muscular chest and shoulders, down his body, to his erection, knowing it from her science and health classes. She was nervous about what it would feel like going into her tonight, for the first time. But she wanted to feel him with her, moving with her like Rhett and Scarlett across the carpet. She wanted to claw his shoulders and hear him moan for her. Because he felt good being inside her, because she was making him feel good.
She wanted to figure it all out. And she wanted to figure it out tonight with William.
After lighting the fireplace, William walked over to Willow. She saw him walking toward her, she looked him over and smiled. He smiled back at her.
The lighting in the room was a mahogany shininess that was really cabin pretty. William saw it as a woodsy sexiness that he liked. Looking into Willow’s blue eyes he lowered his lips to hers and kissed hers. What she wanted and what he wanted matched each other very well and it was in them strongly. William pulled Willow’s body next to his and Willow held onto him as well.
William walked to the couch and pulled out the bed on it, pushing the coffee table out of his way as he went. Kissing each other again, William took Willow’s shirt off.
Pushing his black shirt up strongly, Willow said, “Oh…you are so…sexy.”
William smiled and said, “You’re sexy too, Willow.” Holding each other snugly, William unhooked Willow’s bra and pulled it off gently.
Willow looked into his eyes and watched as he kissed down her neck, down to her nipples. Fearing she’d fall, she turned with William and together they moved to the pullout bed.
While Willow lay on his mattress, William kissed again, over her breasts, down her belly, to her leggings.
Willow moaned, her crotch aching, her entire body flaming up. It was hot, she needed William, but she was too out of breath and out of focus to say that.
William lowered her leggings, pulling them down. He looked at her body. Willow wanted him to make love to her and he wanted to be with her as well.
Holding Willow in his arms, William kissed her multiple times, affectionately.
Willow kissed him back and held onto him. She slid her hands over his chest and around him. He moved his around her too. They lay in the bed just making out and getting comfy with each other.
Looking down, Willow moved her hand down. William watched as Willow touched her fingers across and over his engrossed head. Willow said innocently, "It feels so warm and hard..."
William moaned and said, "Yes, it is."
Willow wasn't blind, she knew that he was needy. She sat up and grabbed his box of condoms. Grabbing one out of the package nervously, she opened it and with William's help slid it on him.
Kissing each other right after emotionally, William helped Willow back to the mattress. Kissing her lips and smiling, seeing her smile back, he kissed her again and touched her with his fingers.
Willow smiled larger and opened her legs for him. He spoke to her, "Willow tonight means so much to me. I hope you know that what we're doing now, what we're sharing, what you're giving to me now, Will, is everything. It means everything to me."
Willow smiled and said, "It means everything to me too, William."
Leaning forward, William kissed Willow's lips and gently connected his body within hers, giving her what she touched earlier along with all his emotions, his love and his heart... She gave all of herself right back to him...
TBC...
Last edited by Angie on Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:06 am, edited 7 times in total.
A/N: This may suck, I've gone through and revamped it quite a bit to sound as I liked it, better than my first attempt at it! LOL! I own nothing!
Part Five—Surfacing
An salty air smell entered the living room as Willow awoke the next morning. Opening her eyes a tad she saw William sitting up beside her, his sexy tanned body naked, covered just at the waist by a blue sheet. His glasses were on and he was working on something, it appeared his next novel. Willow said softly, "Hello."
William looked at Willow and smiled, putting his notebook down on the bed. Leaning down, William kissed her lips and said, "Morning, love." Willow kissed him back and said, "Good morning."
Snuggling closely, William and Willow shared morning kisses and held each other, waking up and remembering last night...
Two hours later…
William threw Willow’s clothes into the dryer as she climbed in the shower and got cleaned up. He chose to shower after taking Willow home so she had enough hot water for her shower and for her clothes. William didn’t mind waiting his turn. Smiling, he thought, he didn’t mind it at all.
Washing off demon blood was a top priority, then came cleaning herself after last night and this morning. It was then that she noted that she was a little sore. Smiling into the water, she was glad for it because she had given herself to the right person. She didn’t regret any of it.
Shutting off the water, Willow felt she smelled one hundred percent better! Borrowing his shampoo, her hair was clean and once dried off and dressed she would be human again. She wrapped one of his big gray towels and wrapping herself in it, she opened the door. Stepping barefoot across his teal carpeting. Willow’s hair dripped some and she shivered as she walked through the hallway and downstairs, to the floor level. Searching for him Willow said, “William?”
William said, “In the living room, love.” Willow walked slowly into the room that she had given herself to William in and said shivering, “H-how’s the lau-ndry go-ing?”
Getting up off the couch, William turned and facing Willow, wet and in a towel, William said, “You’re clothes should be ready in a few minutes, Will. Meantime, here.” Stripping off his red flannel, William walked over to Willow, handing it to her. Willow turned some and unfastened her towel. Letting it fall she put on the flannel and buttoned it shut. The shirt was long enough to be a dress on her, so she said, “I’m covered.”
William took her hand and leading her into the room, he said, “I’ll turn on the heat, get you warmed up.”
Willow said, “Oh…you…you don’t have to do that. I’ll…I’ll be fine.”
William said, “I want to. I’ll be right back.”
Willow smiled happily, less awkwardly, and said, "Okay."
He kissed her and went to adjust the heat.
Willow moved to the couch and sat. She got comfy on the couch and began to think about what she'd face when she finally went home today, whenever that was. She wasn't really excited about going home right then. Yes, her parents had acted very blazay about last night, but she'd never stayed out all night long before. Never. Truth was, she'd not even gone to a slumber party because she was too studious, too much of a homebody.
William walked back seeing Willow sitting Indian-Style in his flannel, biting down on her fingernail, thinking about something. William didn't know everything just yet about Willow, but he had a gut feeling she was stressing about something.
William said, "Will?"
Willow said, "Huh?" She realized her spaciness and feeling stupid she blushed and said, "Sorry...I was in think mode."
Grinning, William sat down across from her and said, “Want to talk about it?”
Willow smiled, looking in his blue eyes and feeling so close to him now. She replied, "I was thinking about my mom...William I've never done anything like this before. Stayed out all night...not even when I was a kid. I don't know what my parents are going to say when I go home today..."
William was confident normally, but now, listening to Willow he really felt vulnerable. He said quietly, "Do you think you'll get in trouble?"
Willow said quietly, "I can't remember the last time I got in trouble." Grinning at William she said, "It’s been a long time. I think the last time I was six years old and I was gotten onto for eating some candy out of the ben in the grocery store. You know the candy that they have always sitting there, the Brachs? I ate five dollars worth of candy! Had a tummy ache for hours. Mom still picks on me for that sometimes." Willow laughed.
William grinned and said, “Well you were good then if that’s all you did. I did worse," lots worse.
Willow asked curiously, “Like what?”
Not wanting to go there, at all, William said, “Not good stuff, love, I’ll put it that way.” Pushing his hands through his hair and over his face he said, "Will, I hate asking this, but do you regret it? Last night I mean."
Shaking her head, Willow wiped her eyes and sitting up taller she said, “No. I gave you what I wanted to give you. What we shared was…beautiful. No, I don’t regret it, William. I only think of my mom because…because she’s always been the number one person in my life. I went to her with all my problems, for everything. This could hurt her.” Getting it now, William said a lot easier, “It might, when she finds out. But honey you can’t go through your whole life afraid of what your folks think. That isn’t living for Willow, it’s living for your mom and your dad.” Nodding, Willow said, “I know…so why does it bother me? Last night didn't bother me. So why does it matter now?” It bothered her, William saw it by her eyes that were wet on the edges. No matter what pretty smile Will put on her face, he detected what was really going on. Slowly tugging Willow into his embrace, William said with a sigh, “It's called being a good girl for eighteen years love. You can't help but be a little guilty about not going home or calling last night. It's normal. And you're parents, though they are just that, they are the ones you've gone to all your life. Those ties will never change, Will. No matter what happens between us.” Feeling her crying on his shoulder now, he added comfortingly, “Willow, honey?” Seeing her look at him, he wiped her tears away and said, “Everything’s going to be okay. Listen,” he said, “Why don’t you call Anya? See if she’ll cover?”
Willow said, “I could…if she wants to do that for me.”
William said, “Can’t hurt to ask. If not, we’ll work it out another way.” Willow said, “I hate that I cried on you like that. I'm a stronger person than that..." William sat next to her and said, "You don't think strong people break down sometimes? Honey even the strongest do."
Willow saw William’s sincerity, how sensitive his words sounded, how much he meant it.
William asked, “You okay now?”
Willow smiled and said assured, “Yeah, I'm okay."
William's worries were gone now and he smiled and said, "Good." Things were okay, Will was just nervous about returning home after being out all night. Though he'd not been in that situation before, since he did whatever he damn well pleased most of his life, he still was able to see. And understand. He cared about her even more because she gave a damn about herself and her family. It reminded him more of how important it was to care and why he was so thankful that he could be here and care.
Holding Willow's sides with his hands, he bent forward and kissed her pretty lips.
Scooting closer to him, Willow kissed him in return.
Willow felt there was a side to William that was daring, or used to be. He hid it well, but she could sense it. It was part of the fun in figuring out who he was.
Dressed in her clothes, Willow picked up the phone…
Dialing Anya’s number, she caught her before she left and said, “Anya, this is Willow.”
Willow explained that she needed an alibi for last night.
Anya said grinning into the phone, “Really? Where are you?”
Willow blushed into the phone, in the kitchen and said, “Not home.” Anya grinned broadly and said, “Oh never say you went home with him…” “Yeah. I don’t want to go the details…but Anya I need a cover. Buffy…well, I don’t think she’d do it. Will you?”
Anya said, “Sure. But I have to say it first. You hussy!” Hearing Willow’s chuckle that was dry like she had been upset recently, Anya said kinder, “Sorry. I had to pick on you. Come on by and we’ll toss some things around and say we had a girl night after going to the Bronze. Mom and dad won’t know.”
Grinning and telling her thanks, Willow got off the phone. She found William in the living room and said, “She’s gonna cover for us.”
Nodding, William said, “We better go then. Your parents will be calling the law pretty soon if they don’t hear from you.” It was going on ten o’clock.
Willow stopped William in the living room and she said, “Wait. Just a second.” William saw her moving toward him and taking her hands he pulled her the rest of the way into his arms. They stood in a quiet state, just holding each other close. Once it was over, they drove on over to Anya’s so she could cover….
Anya took one look at Willow, then William and said, “No offense, William, but you can’t be in this equation. If you are…it would get bad at Willow’s house.”
Understanding, William said, “I figured this would be between you girls.”
Anya nodded and said, “Okay. Willow, you and me slept over here after the party. We said goodnight to Buffy…so she doesn’t have to get involved.” Finishing her play of how it would go, Willow nodded, but felt hollow inside. She looked over at William and it showed in her eyes. Anya was covering up everything as if it didn’t happen.
Not liking how that felt, Willow said, “I'm going outside...” She walked out onto Anya’s front porch and let the air hit her in the face as her tears fell.
Willow didn’t hear William as he stepped out onto the wrap around white porch. She did however feel it when he put his arms around her waist and said privately to her, “Nothing Anya says or you say to your folks changes what happened, Willow.”
Willow cried softly as she said, “I don't like this, William. Anya’s plan…it covers up what we shared…almost like it…it didn’t’ happen.” Turning to him, Willow said, “Last night was very special to me.” She put her hands on his shirt and looked up into his eyes, standing next to him and remembering waht she gave and how special it really was, laying in bed with him. Being there with him, all night long.
Looking her in the eyes, William kissed her and said, "It was special to me too, Willow. Very special." added, “I know it sounds like it's a cover up, but it's not, Willow. It may not even work, but it may give you some peace going home. That's all it's for, really."
Willow nodded, relaxing some and letting her emotions calm down. She smiled and said, "Well I know what we really did."
William looked right into Willow's eyes and added, "And so do I."
Willow smiled larger yet and said, " I love you, William."
William kissed her and holding her closely he said, "I love you too, Willow." He kissed her neck and her mouth and Willow held on and kissed him as well.
She said, “I hate to interrupt…but Will we should go on over now to your place. I called once just a minute ago and your mom was all but hysterical.”
Pulling the flannel more securely around her, Willow said, “Great. Well, come on. William…” She moved to him again and said, “Thank you…We’ll talk later?”
Nodding, William said, “Tonight, if you’re able to get there, we’ll meet at the library. We’ll talk more then.” He ran his hand over her face, and gently kissed her on the lips, not pulling back for a few minutes. Eventually he did break the kiss up and said quietly so only Willow heard, “Thank you, love for giving me a night I won’t ever forget.”
Willow nodded, smiled broadly, and climbed in the car with Anya, waving by to William as he got in his convertible and drove off. Anya turned to her and said, "Ready to go home?”
Willow looked out her window and said, "Yeah...I am." She smiled and felt good. She felt giddily happy and in love...
TBC…
Last edited by Angie on Sat Aug 19, 2006 2:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
A/N: Marit I hope this sounds okay...thank you for betaing it!
Willow walked into her house that day with Anya beside her. She and Anya had talked outside before going in and Anya was sure this plan would work. Willow wasn’t, however. She expected anything to happen, mainly her mother to become unglued. Then again…they didn’t bother to ask her where she was going last night. Maybe they wouldn’t blink an eye to Anya’s story. Willow didn’t know. She walked in braced just the same.
Mallory walked down the stairs feeling tired and worried. Seeing Willow grinning with Anya, grinning after everything they'd worried about, Mallory's mood changed and was now fried.
Folding her arms and taking a seat, Mallory waited...
Willow said to Anya, "You should have seen the size of his beachhouse, Anya. It's really cool. I walked around in it thinking I was on Baywatch or 90210."
Anya smiled, and said, "You so suck, Willow! Go to the Bronze with you and it's you who gets lucky."
Willow smiled broadly and blushed a little too, saying, "Yeah...it was nice too." Willow didn't have to ask Anya not to go blabbing about last night -- Anya didn't do that kind of thing, certainly not with her best friend.
Mallory shifted, crossing her legs and Willow heard the sound. Looking where she heard it, Willow saw her mother sitting and looking at her...
Immediately sick with fear and worry, Willow looked at Anya and saw she was just as fearful as Willow was. Willow asked, "An, can I...call you later?"
Nodding, Anya hugged her friend and said, "Yep. I'll catch ya later, Will. Mrs. Rosenberg...it's nice to see you."
Putting on a smile, Mallory said, "You too, Anya. Thank you for calling us this morning and for bringing Will home."
Anya nodded again and sympathetically eyed her friend, then left the house.
Willow was terrified of what to do. She really wanted to leave the room, crawl in a hole and die, but she didn't think her mother woiuld let her leave. She was pretty sure that she was about to hear the worst lecture ever.
Mallory said simply, "Have a seat, Willow."
Willow sat, holding her knees with her skinny hands. She looked at her mother's yellow flip flops, at the rose carpeting on the living room floor.
Mallory let out a deep breath and began, "You know, some parents yell and expect that their kids explain where they've been all night long, but I never thought that that was necessary. You've always been very on top of letting us know where you go and what you're doing. So I'm not going to yell like that, even though I know that I could at this point..."
Willow interrupted out of nervousness, "Mom...I..."
Mallory snapped a little here and said, "I'm still talking, Willow." She wasn't trying to be ugly, but at the same time she wasn't happy either. Mallory didn't think it was wrong to be angry over this.
Willow said glumly, "Sorry..."
Mallory continued, "As I was saying, Willow, I'm not going to freak out or get angry like that. The fact is, Willow I didn't see you doing anything like this. I never expected that this would happen."
Willow said plainly, "I know. You guys didn't even ask where I was going last night...you didn't bother to ask...I sometimes think that you guys think that I'm not like Buffy or Anya or anyone else that's eighteen."
Shaking her head, Mallory said, "That's not true, Willow. I've seen you as human, but I've also seen you as special. You are special to me, Willow, not to mention intellectually gifted."
Willow looked at her mother and said, "Mom, just because I'm good in school, that doesn't mean that I'm off from my friends...or that I can't meet a great guy."
Mallory's expression was level, her voice disappointed, as she said, "Willow..."
Willow snapped emotionally, saying, "I am not the same person you put in your mind, mom. Last night I did things I've never done in my life. I fought demons at the Bronze...Sunnydale has demons. I fought them with William." Mallory showed surprise that Willow didn't see. Willow was on an emotional spill and had to get it all out. Continuing on, Willow said, "William helped get me out of there and took me back to his place."
Mallory said, "That takes out the Anya excuse."
Willow spat, "I lied about it! I didn't want to tell you...I was afraid you'd be so upset and let down that you'd never see me the same... That we would be like Buffy and her parents or others I go to school with."
Mallory walked over to Willow and sitting beside her she said, "Willow, I'm sorry...I should have asked about things. I'm sorry."
Willow nodded and said, "Mom, you can't see me as only this brainy daughter. There's more to me than that." Pausing, scared still about her mom's reactions, Willow confessed, "I went home with William last night. I didn't go to Anya's, like I said...and we...we slept together."
Mallory put her hands over Will's and said, "Was it safe?"
Willow nodded and said, "Yes, mom, it was. It wasn't like that...we've known each other for awhile...it was romantic."
Mallory said, "I believe you." She saw Willow's vulnerable reaction, hoping that Mallory wouldn't explode. Mallory said, "I was sixteen, my first time, Will. It was with a guy I felt very close to also. So I'm not going to judge you or be mean and cruel and unreasonably ridiculous. You don't want that anyway, and I don't want to be that way. I have to say though as your mother that you don't have to keep having sex just because you had it once. You know that right?"
Willow nodded and said, "I know..." Seeing Willow's failure to say she wasn't going to stop, Mallory digested what was going to be in thier lives. A sexual relationship with her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend. A guy Mallory needed to meet, to figure out if he was a decent guy or just a user. She was protective of her daughter.
Climbing off the bed, Mallory said, “We can make an appointment if you want Willow. Get you on something too.”
Willow said a little easier, “Sure, mom. Okay. I’ll get on birth control. It's probably a good idea."
Smiling, Mallory said, “I’ll call Dr. Robin first thing Monday morning. I’m getting ready to go the grocery store. You want to come along?”
Climbing to the side of her bed, Willow said, “Sure.” Moving her feet to the ground she stood and said, “Just…give me a minute.”
Taking off William’s flannel she grabbed a pair of jeans from her dresser and a new gold top. Stripping down to her panties and bra, Willow changed clothes, wrapped William’s flannel around her waist, tying it, and stepping into sandals, she said, “I’m ready.”
Mallory asked, "How old is William?"
Willow said simply, "Uh...older than me." Mallory said, "I'm not going to bust him, just be honest with me. I need to know who you're seeing."
Willow nodded and said, "He's in his twenties. I think around 25. His bio said that on his book."
Mallory stopped and said, "His bio? Who is this guy, Will?"
Walking out with her mom, Willow added, "He's a famous writer."
Thinking and turning quickly to her, Mallory said, "You're not serious." Grinning big, Willow said, "Yep."
Smiling and feeling glad she was still her confidant, Mallory put her arm around Willow's shoulders and together, mom and daughter, walked out of the house, spending the afternoon sharing time…promising to keep what was said between them….
Willow met William that night at the library. They sat at a table and talked for a long time, just as they had before. Then together they left and went to the beach to take a walk. William asked, “What was it like going back home?”
Willow said, “I was nervous…my dad still doesn’t know where I really was last night. But mom does.”
William asked, “What did she think?”
Willow put her arm around his waist, feeling his around hers as she said, “At first…I think she was concerned about me… but otherwise she was very good about it. She offered to get me on birth control…. She…she doesn’t see me as incapable of being with someone.”
William turned Willow into his arms and said, “I’m glad, Willow. I doubt she cared for my age though…or did you leave that out?” he said with a grin.
Willow said, “Actually I told her how old you were. You're twenty five right?"
William nodded and said, "What did she say about it?"
Willow held his hand as they walked and said, "She was surprised that I'm dating William Berkley. You're pretty famous in our house. We read a lot of your work, dad and I. Mom's picked up one or two of your books too."
William laughed and said, "Well I'm glad you're family likes me. That's good."
Willow stopped walking and looking up at him she said, "I love you."
William looked at Willow and pulling her into him he said, "I love you too, Will."
Sweetly, he lowered his mouth and kissed Willow's lips.
Willow kissed him back deeply, wrapping her arms around his neck, going with him gladly when he lowered them to the beach blanket on the sand...
TBC….
Last edited by Angie on Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:30 am, edited 7 times in total.
Seated in her biology class that Monday morning, while watching a slide show on the human body, Willow did something she rarely ever did—she fell asleep! She was on the beach with William, sitting and talking, watching the sun go down. It was romantic. Willow smiled, enjoying it. All of a sudden though her dream turned into a horrific nightmare…when William turned into a monster—a vampire with fangs. Yet he still had a look that was so very similar to William that it frightened her. It was like they were the same! Backing away in fear, Willow cried out in her dream, ‘No!’ Just as he lunged at her, she woke up, startled. Thankful class was over and she was alone in the room….
The dream haunted her all day long…
Home at around three-thirty, Willow paced her bedroom, trying to decide how on earth she could have a dream like that and worse why it still bothered her. She thought of calling Anya, but was afraid she would laugh. Mom was still at work and Dad…he was still oblivious to her dating William.
The only person she knew to call was Buffy. She called her on the phone and said, “Hey, Buffy.”
Buffy said, “Will! How are you? Did you see the size of the homework assignment Ms. Rogers gave in English? I about died. I am so glad she gave us two weeks to do it.”
Willow said, “I know…but hey, I’ll help with it if you want.”
Buffy said, “Good! I was hoping you would.” When she caught Willow’s pause, Buffy said more alert, “What’s up, Willow?”
Willow dangled the telephone cord on her bed and said, “I…I need to talk to you, Buffy.”
Buffy said, “I’m right over.” Hanging up, Willow sat and waited wondering if this had been so smart. I mean what could Buffy do? But she was the slayer…maybe she had an answer…
When Willow heard the doorbell, she got up and walked into the front room, opening the door. Buffy said, “I hurried over.”
Willow took in her friend and said, “Thanks…”
Following Willow to the couch, Buffy said, “So what’s up in Willowland?”
Willow laughed over that, relaxing some, and said, “I had a dream today in bio that…well it freaked me out.”
Buffy joked, “Was it the one where you and William were in the library fooling around and got busted by Giles?”
Catching Willow’s white expression, Buffy said, “Sorry I can’t forget that one. It is original…and so unlike you.”
Willow warmed over that memory, then focusing on the recent one, she folded her legs under her and said, “That was one that stuck with me for a long time. But this was different. Scarier.”
Buffy leaned against the couch, with her elbow bent, her hand on her face, coming up with possibilities in her mind of what it could be. Needing to hear this, she said, “Willow, what happened?”
Willow said, “We were at his condo, on the beach. The sun was going down and we were sitting together, talking. It was nice… He leaned over like he was going to kiss me…I moved in like on one of those oldie movies.”
Buffy said, “Sounds romantic.”
Smiling, Willow said, “It was…but wait. It gets freaky. As he pulled me gently to him, his grip became harder...and Buffy...he changed. He looked like one of those demons we killed at the Bronze on Halloween. He was William, but not…it was awful. He had…” looking down, Willow said, “He had fangs. Why would I have a dream like that?”
Buffy was burning up inside. He hadn’t told her about his past! He slept with her, but hadn’t had the guts to tell her about his vamping life before regaining this one. The jerk! Buffy was having a hard time trying to be friendly now. She stood and said, “Look, Will…I don’t know why you’d have a dream like that.”
Willow stood too and said, “But…but…you are the Slayer. I thought…maybe you’d know…”
Buffy had an idea. She said, “I’ll talk to Giles about it. You and William…you’ve been together, haven’t you?”
Willow looked up at Buffy and said, “Yeah. What does that have to do with anything?”
Buffy said, “Nothing serious. I just wondered. I’ve got to go do some research on this.”
Willow said completely confused, “What should I do?”
Buffy said straightforwardly, “Call William. Get him over here. Tell him about the dream…something tells me he’d be your best one to share it with.” Buffy didn’t mean to be cold, but damn it she was mad. How dare he treat Willow that way!
While Buffy was headed over to Giles’s for research, Willow called William. He answered on the third ring. He said, “Hey, girl.”
Willow said, “William…can you come by? We need to talk.”
William listened to her words, her fear behind them and said, “Sure…you okay, Will?”
Willow said exasperated, “I’m fine! Sorry…I just need to talk to you.” William said he would and hung up. Willow paced thinking about the daydream, Buffy’s reaction that Willow picked up on, and facing William…
When William showed later and knocked on her door, Willow said dejectedly, “It’s open.”
She heard William walking inside, shutting the door behind him, as she continued to pace. William said, “Will?” When she didn’t’ stop, he moved around her and taking her arms gently with his hands, he looked into her blue eyes and said, “Willow? What’s wrong?”
Willow said, “I…have some questions.”
William said, “Okay. Let’s sit down.” Willow joined him on the couch and taking a few breaths, she said, “I had a day dream today at school. It was of you and me.” Looking at him, she said, “We were alone, William. Next thing I knew…you were…a vampire.”
William tried to blow this off, to get her to look past it because it was something that he didn’t’ choose to talk about anymore. He said, “Sounds weird.”
Nodding, Willow replied, “It was. I would have just laughed it off and figured I was bored to death of the bio video—which I was, but it has stayed with me…all day, William. Why would it continue to do that?”
Shrugging, William said, “Some dreams do that. I’ve had some that have stuck with me like that.” Touching her face with his hands, William said, “I think you know that I am not a vampire, Willow.”
Moving in to him, Willow said, “I know. It’s nothing…just me being silly. I’m glad you stopped by.” Willow unbuttoned the first buttons on William’s shirt and holding on to the shirt she smiled. William smiled back and kissed her.
Mallory was off early today. It was a rarity, but she went with it and parked her car in the drive, anxious to spend time with Willow. The past few months had strengthened their mother/daughter bond and she looked forward to spending the evening talking with her. Eric, her husband, would be gone out of town the rest of the week in New York. So it would be just the two of them.
When Mallory unlocked the door and walked inside it was empty. She called out, “Willow? You home?”
Hearing nothing, she shrugged, looked at the clock that said 4:00 and figured maybe she was late coming home. She probably was turning in an assignment, or visiting with Anya or Buffy. Thinking nothing of it, she dropped her purse and kicked out of her pumps, walking to the kitchen.
She met her daughter sitting at the table with her current boyfriend, drinking sodas, talking privately. Mallory had seen this before, and had already been introduced to William. So she smiled and said, “Hey.”
Willow looked up and said, “Hi, mom.” Realizing her mom did call her and she had spaced it off, Willow added guiltily, “Sorry…I didn’t answer when you called. I was…busy.”
Mallory looked at Willow and then at William and said, “I see that. Hello, William.”
William said, “Hi.”
Looking at Willow, William said, “I should probably go. So you can spend the evening with your mom.”
Willow got up with him and said, “Okay…I’ll walk you out. Be right back, mom.”
Mallory took a chair and sitting she said, “Oh, all right.” She grinned to herself.
She looked across the table and saw he left his keys. Picking them up she looked at them, noticing something unique about part of his set. Taking a closer look, Mallory almost passed out. It was a symbol that she hadn’t seen in several years. Trying to work past it, figuring it was nothing but a replica of this generation, she hurried to the door and said, “William, you forgot…your keys.”
He walked back and took them. It was then that she picked up on it. Looking into his eyes, Mallory put it together. She said, “We need to talk, when you get the time.”
William nodded and said, “Sure. We can do that.” He picked up on it, but chose to remain in denial. Denial was so much nicer than facing his past. He thanked her for the keys and walked over to Willow and his car.
Before he could leave, things got worse for William.
Buffy drove her bike over and parking it she got off. Looking at Mallory, then Willow who stood so closely with William, she said, “Hi, Mrs. Rosenberg.”
Mallory said, “Buffy…it’s nice to see you again.”
Smiling for her, Buffy headed over to Willow and said, “Can we talk a minute?”
Willow nodded and said, “Just a second.”
She walked over to the side with Buffy and said, “What is it?”
Buffy said, “I spoke with Giles. He stands behind me on this, Willow.”
Willow said, “Behind what?”
Buffy said almost exasperated, “You’re dream, Will.”
Rolling her eyes and grinning, Willow said, “Oh, that. It was nothing, Buffy. Just me being ridiculous. I think it was a fluke thing because I was tired and didn’t want to be in bio class today.”
Glaring over at William, where Willow couldn’t see, Buffy said, “Really? I take it you told William about it, then?”
Nodding, Willow said, “Yeah…and he confirmed my silliness without making me feel like a goon…even though I did feel like one. I’m sorry, Buffy, for involving you in this. It was nothing. Really.”
Buffy said, “You know what, Will? I think that maybe I forgot something in your room last time I was here. A…blue sweater, I think.”
Remembering she had, Willow said, “Oh yeah. I’ll get it real quick.” Turning to William, Willow said, “I’ll be back in a second, William.”
He nodded, really wishing he could go anytime now. But he stayed.
Turning to William, forgetting that Mallory was still there, Buffy said, “I thought you were going to tell her. I suggested she call you so you would finally tell her about your past.”
William said, “She doesn’t need to know about that. It is history. And since when do I need to go along with your plan just because you set it up?”
Buffy pushed at William saying, “She doesn’t need to know…you bastard!” The ire over this had Buffy drop kicking William to the ground. She looked down at him and said, “You are just the same, the same creep you ever were. If you don’t tell her about your Spike days, I will! So you better hurry it up.” She kicked him in the ribs for further effect and hearing Mallory’s catch in her voice said lowly, “Tell Willow I’ll call her later.” She received a nod and rode away on her bike.
William pushed himself up off the ground and standing he met Mallory’s eyes. He said, “She knows nothing…but I can see you do.”
Willow started toward the door and Mallory held up a finger for William. She went inside and said, “Willow, honey, Buffy went on home. So did William. They said they’d call you later.” Willow said, “Oh…okay.”
Mallory said, “I could use your help if you don’t mind.” Willow said, “Sure…what do you need?”
Mallory said, “The kitchen is a mess and I need some laundry started.” Nodding, Willow got to work.
Mallory thanked her and headed outside, walking to William, the man formerly known to her as Spike.
Driving down to the old warehouse and parking, Mallory looked at William and said, “When I found out that Willow had found a boyfriend, you, I accepted it. I even accepted you being older, knowing Willow and that she wouldn’t be with you if she didn’t want to be. We go way back, you and me. Back to days when I was a girl and I was in love with Rory.”
William grinned briefly as he said, “Rory Parker, I haven’t thought of him in years. You still talk to him?”
Shaking her head, Mallory said, “No. I moved on, got married and had a baby. All back to back if you remember.”
Thinking back, William nodded. He did remember. Eric Rosenberg fell for Mallory knowing she was pregnant with Rory’s kid and he married her anyway. He was decent, William thought, admiring him still.
He grabbed a cigarette and said, “I’ve got to step out. Want to join me?” She did and watched as he lit his cigarette.
He said, “I’m sure you have a lot of things you’d like to say to me. So shoot.”
Mallory let out a deep breath and said, “I’m afraid I have to go with Buffy on this. She does deserve to know.”
William said, “What good is it for me to look her in the eyes and tell her about those days? I have spent five bloody years trying to forget about them! I have worked very hard to change who I was. That life nearly killed me in all ways, why would I want to share that with her?”
Mallory said, “Because she loves you. Because she is your girlfriend. Because it is the decent thing to do. If you care about her that is.”
William said, “I do care about her! I denied it for a long time because of her age, her innocence, but it is in me. I care. It would destroy her if she knew…and as much as I hate to say it, it would destroy me too, just admitting to the things I’ve done. I’ve killed more people in the last century than anyone, I was a hellion looking for trouble. I hung with guys that shared my desire to cause trouble. I changed that when I was given the second chance. I’m a writer and nothing like I once was. I don’t choose to go back and relive those days…they are filled with nothing but regret.”
Mallory felt a migraine coming as she said, “And if Buffy goes to her first? Tells her what you aren’t able to?”
William said, “That’s a risk I’ll have to take. I just can’t tell her now. She sees me in a light that I don’t want to destroy, giving her nightmares for months."
Mallory wasn’t happy about this, but she said relenting, “Fine. I won’t say anything…until she asks. I won’t lie for you, William. If she asks she’s going to find out. But I won’t volunteer it.”
She drove him back and heard him say Thank you. He left soon after and Mallory walked back inside. It seemed he was going to put off telling Willow the truth. She didn’t want to think of the hell he was going to face when she did find out!
Willow left the house for school, that March morning, feeling good. She was over half way through her senior year and was on the honor roll. Pretty soon she'd be a graduate. A graduate with a boyfriend she loved very much. A boyfriend she thought about strongly, as she rode her bike to school.
Things were William were still going well. She had been with him now for almost five months. She was in the fifth month anyway. It was close enough. He would pick her up after school so they could go get a pizza. She looked forward to it as much as she looked forward to seeing him. He was everything to her. It happened before she was aware and he had her heart, her mind, everything. She thought of him now as she rode her bike the last distance to the school. She remembered Friday night, going out to the Bronze as his girlfriend, then going off to his place and making sweet love for two hours. Willow’s body felt the rush of wanting to touch him as she thought of it now. She felt a part of him, he a part of her. She could be anywhere and one memory of being with him and she was wishing she was by his side, feeling him holding her. Touching her. She was lost to him.
It wasn’t just sex, Willow knew. It was the closeness, the trust she felt for him, the friendship they still shared. His ways of continuing to stop by the school and surprising her, just to share private time with her. Or meeting him at the library or the park. Talking with him, as they walked along the beach. Dancing with him at the Bronze, eating over a table at The Burger Plaza. It wasn’t just sex. It was the relationship as a whole.
Willow knew though that she felt needs to be with him romantically at odd times of the day.
Like now…
She held her grabbed her bag off the bike, feeling he was there, behind her. Turning, she looked for him, but he wasn’t anywhere. Something in her had her wanting to get on her bike and ride over to his place, but she fought it. She started her walk to the school building…then thinking to herself she’d never missed a day of school, she turned back and heading for her bike, she climbed on.
Buffy watched at the doors as Willow took off, away from the school. She shook her head, telling herself that William better say something and soon. Or she would!
William had been writing at his laptop when he heard his door rasping. Getting up, his mind still worked in the plot, he opened the door half-heartedly. Then he saw her. He said, “Willow.”
Willow said, “William. I…I couldn’t go to school today.” William caught the look in her eyes and taking her hand he pulled her inside, shutting and locking his door.
William grinned and said, “I’m influencing you to skip school. Not good.” He chuckled. “Not good.”
Willow moved closer and said, “I’ve been thinking about you a lot. I can’t stop.” Holding his shirt, Willow kissed him mad. William kissed her back holding her tightly against him, saying, “I can’t either.” He started kissing her neck, pulled her shirt over her head, and continued to kiss her. Dragging his off-white tank top over his head, Willow kissed along his neck and over the center of his chest area, where it was sexiest to her.
Bending down to her knees, Willow unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. She pushed his jeans off, his boxers afterward and seeing him, so ready and there for her, she got hot. She'd never done this before, but she'd wanted to. She wanted to give this to him because she loved him and turning him on was like turning her on. It worked equally as far as Willow was concerned.
Hearing him groan as she moved her mouth over every part of his member, Willow smiled and held onto his butt and continued to give. Finally, hearing him give a loud passionate sound, she tasted everything he had and finding his trash can she spit it out.
Going up to her feet she smiled and he smiled, kissing her lips, thankfully. William took a turn and had Willow on the floor, giving her what he gave so easily, so often that Willow saw it as a commonality. A wonderful part of loving William and being his girlfriend, sharing their time in bed.
Kissing and holding each other on the floor, William and Willow shared how they felt verbally.
Wishing to be together completely, William said, “Willow…Girl I hope you’re about ready for me.” She said, “I am.” When he took over, nudging her onto her back, she didn’t mind. He entered her quickly, letting out a sound of pleasure. Picking up the pace, feeling Willow’s urgency with his own, William began to make love to her. When she was passionate, Willow matched him in every way. Not long into the experience, they both rode the other one hard against the carpet, until the end when Willow dropped her head back and moaned, cried tears of happiness and released. William’s orgasm was not far behind and he said, “Willow…I love you.” He kissed her neck, her tears, and her mouth backing that up.
Willow said, "I love you too."
Spending the day in his arms, Willow forgot the time. She heard his doorbell ringing as he was kissing her again in his bed. She said, “I…I think someone’s here…”
William continued his pursuit of Willow and said, “Let them leave. I am busy.” Willow said, “Works for me.”
Buffy sat in the living room waiting until she saw William come out in his boxers. He said in a whisper to keep Willow from hearing him, “Slayer. What are you doing here? This is against the law you know.”
Buffy said defiantly, “You’re one to talk, cradle hogger."
William said humorously, “Cradle hogger? I think you mean robber, and I'm not robbing any cradles, Buffy. Will is eighteen and therefore my seeing her is legal, very consensual, and her mother knows all about it. So what is it that you're really here for?"
Glaring at him, she said, “I’m here to tell you that you either tell her now…or I will when she goes home.”
William said, “You don’t have any right getting into this, Buffy.”
Buffy walked closer to him and said angrily, “I could go in now and tell her.”
William said, “So why don’t you? You’re going to do it anyway. Why taunt me and pull these childish schoolgirl stunts?”
Buffy said with a dark grin, “Childish schoolgirl stunts…let’s just see how quick you squirm like a boy.” She started for his bedroom.
William stopped her by grabbing her arm. William said, “She’s my girlfriend. I’ll tell her…somehow.”
Buffy yanked her arm out of his grasp, crossed her arms over chest and said, “Today. After I leave. Or I swear I will.”
Catching his menace, his understanding of the matter, Buffy walked toward his front door and said, “I think I’ve made my point.”
Buffy closed the door quietly and left William to planning how he was going to look his girlfriend in the eyes…and tell her about his vampire days… He swore at Buffy’s back, hating her for putting him in this position. Hating himself for allowing one stupid night with Drusilla to cause it to begin with….
William went in and got dressed, while Willow slept. He kissed her sweetly on the lips, figuring it would be his last. When she did leave it would hurt, William knew. He’d been with her too long for it not to. But maybe he was meant to feel it, playing this as he had. He had led her on, partly by not telling her everything, but he had done it because he didn’t want to hurt her or scare her away. If he had met a woman who said she had once been a vampire, at sixteen, he’d have run like hell. How could he expect less from her?
Unsure and feeling the pain that was coming, William walked into the living room. He sat and went over his notes he critiqued earlier before Willow stopped by, before he got on his computer to add more. He got to work, trying to focus on the story…unable to. He fought harder and had nearly pushed it back, until she walked out dressed.
Looking at her, seeing her smile, the way she walked to him, William loathed Buffy and himself now.
Willow noted his frown and said, “You look gloomy.”
William said, “Willow…we need to talk.”
Walking to the couch, she sat beside him and touching his shirt with her hand she said, “Let’s talk then.”
This was it. It was either he tell her or Buffy…and frankly he needed to be the one. So he pushed her hand away, surprising her some and standing he said, “This is serious, Willow.”
Swallowing nerves that were coming, Willow said, “O-Okay.”
William looked at Willow and said, “Willow, this is going to come across as hard to believe but you have to. Remember that dream you had a month ago?”
Nodding, Willow said, “The silly one.”
William said, “It wasn’t silly, Willow. Not really.”
Giggling, Willow said, “What are you telling me, William? That you are a vampire?” She was unable to stop the laugh that came.
Eyeing her fully, William said, “I was.”
Willow stood and started for his kitchen saying, “Right. Next thing I know you’ll be coming at me with fangs, trying to drink my blood. Right.” Grabbing a Pepsi from the fridge she opened it, took a drink and nearly dropped it when she watched William carrying in artifacts.
Setting out everything, William said, “Come here.” She did, slowly. Picking each article up, he told her what they were. He pointed out the best things for last, “Top things for a vampire to have, if he is to survive. A pair of shades and a blanket it case you’re out past dark. I’ve been there. I’ve slept in streets, hovels, you name it. Saving the best for last, here.” He picked up a silver bottle and sniffing it, nodded and said, “Smell this, tell me what it smells like to you.”
Willow took it and nervously put it up to her nose. Detecting something awful and guessing it was blood, she dropped it and backed up, looking at William with fear.
William knew he’d always remember that look. But right then he had to stay focused. He moved forward saying, “You asked me on Halloween how I could snap that demon’s neck? How I was able to fight like I did? I was a vampire for over 100 years, the fighter part will always be in me. That was how I was able to do that.”
Feeling cold all of a sudden, Willow hugged herself as she backed into his living room, watching as he followed her. She said, “No…I don’t believe it.”
William said, “Yeah you do. It scares you, but you believe it.”
Looking up at him she said, “No I don’t!”
William said, “Then why are you backing away from me?”
She started to leave, then felt anger coming in and she turned to face him with it.
William saw the anger and said, “I’m sorry, Willow.”
Willow moved forward to him and said, “You don’t have a right to say anything to me. Not anything! You let me believe you were something…something you weren’t.”
William said quietly, “I let you believe I was what you saw. I just didn’t confide the rest.”
Shaking her head, she said, “Whatever. The point is you kept that from me. I trusted you! I gave you everything, let you touch me….I feel so exposed now, so disgusted. Disgusted with you…but mostly with myself. I didn’t try and figure out your past, I went with what you told me, like a moron.” Realizing the worst of it, Willow heard her voice catch as she said, “I gave my virginity to a vampire!”
William walked the rest of the way to her and said, “You gave your virginity to me, Willow. Me as William, not the vampire I once was.”
Willow swallowed tears and said on a dry chuckle that wasn’t funny, “Maybe you’re right. If I had given myself to you as a vampire, I wouldn’t be alive. Would I?”
William said miserably, “No. You would have most likely become my girl, but not like this. You’d have become a vampire.”
Willow said, “You would have drank from me…William?”
Her pain only intensified his own. William looked her in the eyes and said, “I’d have fed off of you in a second, Will. Then I would have made you mine and taken you to bed. Probably in that order.”
Willow said, “I’m such an idiot.” She lowered her eyes and felt more tears coming. Wiping them she said, “I have to go.”
William moved quickly to her and said, “Willow…don’t go. I was given another chance. I am human just like you. Those days are part of my history, but they are not who I am. Not anymore.”
Willow felt his arms on hers and looking up into his eyes she said, “You were given another chance and you fucked it up -- fucked up what we had by lying to me. It's over, William." Meeting his blue eyes with anger and hurt, Willow said, “Now let go of me!”
William let go and Willow said, “Thank you.”
She walked to his front door and turning she said, “Goodbye, William.”
William said, “Bye, love.”
Willow glared and slammed the door behind her. She remained numb until she got home. Then as she opened her front door and walked inside, at around 5:30 that afternoon, she met her mother’s eyes and her dad’s with teary ones and ran to her room, shutting the door and crying out her pain.
Eric said, “Must have been a bad day at school.”
Mallory said, “It’s something.” She walked slowly to her daughter’s room. She knew that it wasn’t school. She got a call earlier at work that Willow had skipped. This was more personal than a bad grade in class….
Willow wept on her bed, crying and calling herself stupid, feeling worse. She didn’t hear her mother as she walked in and shut the door. She heard her when she spoke. “Willow, honey, it’s me.”
Willow sat up and went into her mother’s arms crying harder than she ever had before.
When she settled some, Mallory asked, “What happened?”
Willow said, “William…” Facing her mother, Willow said, “I fell in love with an ex-vampire. He kept all of this from me for five months! Treated me like I was a…a dimwit girl. Like I didn’t have to know about it…that it wasn’t important, I guess. I was woman enough to sleep with but not be honest with. I trusted him, mom.”
Mallory felt torn inside watching this and remembering her own experience as she let out a maternal sigh and said, “I know. So what are you going to do? What do you want me to do?”
Willow said, “I’m not sure what I want to do yet. Right now I am too upset and…confused…to react. Right now…mom…I just want you to sit with me and let me be the girl I used to be, before I got involved with an ex-demon.”
Mallory climbed in bed with her daughter and pulling her into her embrace she held her and talked soothingly to her as she wept her tears….
William spent the night questioning himself, knowing deep down that he loved Willow, but that it was over and she was better off without him…
Willow didn’t go to school the next couple of days. Her mom called and told the school she had a bug. She hung around the house, her mom home with her both days to be supportive. Continuously thinking of William and that night, their relationship, Willow knew she couldn’t push him aside and move forward. Not without figuring out more. She had to know how he became human and why he didn’t tell her. The real reason. Then she’d make that final decision. That night she was too upset to listen, but she was focusing more and trying to be reasonable. She had her own regrets of things she said.
Buffy showed up around this time, at 3:30 that Wednesday. She saw Willow’s look, her pajamas and rumpled hair and said, “You sick?”
Shaking her head, Willow replied, “No…just took a couple days off.”
Buffy nodded and said, “I wanted to talk to you about something. Something you should know about.”
Willow said, “What is that?”
Buffy looked to be sure Mallory was in the kitchen, out of earshot, and said, “William…he has kept you in the dark about his past. He was a vampire. That’s why you had your dreams, Willow. I hate to tell you this, I know it must hurt.”
She watched as Willow fluffed the cushions and sat more firmly in the couch and looked up at her friend calmly. Buffy guessed it was a cover up, or that she just didn’t believe her, so she went on, “I told that jerk he needed to tell you the truth. That if he didn’t tell you, I would. I guess he didn’t believe me.”
Willow’s blue eyes flared now as she said, “You knew? You knew and didn’t tell me?” Buffy’s face went white and she became nervous as she said, “Yeah…I knew.”
Willow continued to move forward and said, “You let me continue dating him, sleeping with him, and couldn’t tell me about that?”
Buffy said, “Hey, he was your boyfriend. He should have told you.”
Willow said, “Nevermind that. You were one of my closest friends. How long did you threaten him, bully him, before he finally told me? Weeks, months?”
Buffy stammered, “He was using you, Willow.”
Willow said, “Maybe he was. So you should have come to me, not gone to him making threats. You had no right.”
Buffy said, “Fine. I had no right going to him, I’ll agree with that. But face it Will. Would you have listened if I had told you?”
Willow glared and said, “Get out!”
Buffy tried again to get her to talk. Willow was furious and right then the target was Buffy. She was misleading herself. Buffy said, “Willow…”
Willow went purely on upset as she doubled up her fist and punched Buffy to the floor.
Willow watched in tears as Buffy left, then looking at her mother she said, “I’m going to take a shower.”
Mallory nodded, feeling for Buffy and her daughter….
Taking a walk to the old courthouse, Willow sat where she had all those months before. She just sat there and did some deep thinking. William…what did he mean to her? If she thought back she could remember seeing him smiling at her, next to his shiny convertible. Hear his encouraging words about starting over in a new school. He had admitted he was starting over in a new town…maybe he had meant that in more ways than one. She just hadn’t picked up on it because she was so upset. She remembered him at the library, the way he touched her face, the things he said. Willow thought of the Bronze, how he had spotted her amidst a room packed full of people. She thought of all the ways he had helped her come of age, realizing the strength inside. She smiled over that. I am stronger, she thought. I’m not the same girl I was seven months ago. I was insecure and so small inside then. Now…I am ready to face the summer and have fallen for someone that is so full of mysteries.
Hearing that last part she smiled and thought how William still had her. She might as well talk to him.
Standing, Willow turned to walk in the direction of his place when she caught something out of the corner of her eye. Turning she saw it was William. He pulled his car where it had once been and turning off the engine he said, “All roads lead back?”
Willow said, “I guess. I needed to take a walk…found myself here.”
William climbed out of his car and walking to around his car, across the street from her, he said, “I sat at home trying to put something together with my story…I found myself taking a drive. How are you?”
Willow said, “Better than I was. I’m sorry for some of the things I said, William. I was in shock that night and said things that I regret.”
William said, “So did I. I’m sorry too.”
Willow started walking toward him and said, “I don’t regret being with you, William. I love you too much to regret something as beautiful as that. Who you were then isn’t who you are now, it wasn’t the man I went home with on Halloween. I don’t believe that.”
William took her hands into his and said, “It’s not. And I love you, Willow. I have for a long time.”
Willow walked into his arms and said, “No more secrets. I want to know everything. You lie to me again or keep something from me, we’re done, William.”
William said, “Fine. For a century I was a vampire. I went by the name of Spike then. I fell in love with the girl who turned me and we were together for a long time.”
Willow started walking with him and said, “What happened between you?”
William said, “Me and Drusilla? It started out good, we were pretty hot for awhile. I don’t know, one day it just died and when I felt it, I let her go. She got together with someone else. Last I heard she had a thing for a vampire named Angel.”
Willow said, “I’m sorry. That must have hurt.”
William said, “In the beginning. But I figured out that she wasn’t happy and truthfully neither was I. So it was best. Anyway, back to the story. I was visited by one of the Powers that Be who gave me another chance. So when I was given back my life, I restarted it, got into my writing, and eventually moved to Sunnydale…after several moves that led up to this.”
Willow said, “I’m sorry Buffy interrogated you like she did. She should have come to me instead of threatening you.”
William said, “There’s a story behind all of us, including Buffy. I’ve hurt her worst of all. I didn’t, but the thing I was before did. Buffy had an older sister named Rebecca. She was a slayer, like Buffy now. Acting as Spike, as a vampire, I fought her…I killed her. Do you want to keep walking with me now?”
Willow said, “You weren’t human then. Yet you remember it?”
Nodding, William said, “I was a vampire for 100 years, Willow. I remember my past, I just don’t live it anymore because I am human. I don’t ever want it again. I’ve apologized to her about it…” Feeling tears entering his eyes, he said, “But you can’t really apologize for doing something like that. Don’t be too hard on her, Willow. She’s a right to be bitter. So I’m not as ready to call her names when I think of what I did, as Spike.”
Willow said, “Whatever you did as Spike it isn’t what you are now as William. She needs to forgive.”
William said, “Ever lose a loved one, Willow? A brother or sister?”
Shaking her head, Willow said lowly, “No.”
William grabbed her hand in his and continuing to walk he said, “Can’t really say then, unless you have. It irks me to think she sees Spike when she looks at me and we fight regularly over it, but I can’t hate her, not really. I feel sorry for her, actually.”
Willow said, “Yeah, well I punched her earlier, to the floor for getting into something she had no business getting into. I guess that makes me a bitch.”
William said, “I don’t think so. To me it sounds like you were hurt and confused.”
Willow shook her head and turning to William she said, “I’m clear enough now to know that I love you.”
William said, “What about my past?”
Willow said, “What about it? I can’t change it, neither can you. It happened long before we ever met. I feel for Buffy and I will talk to her…but my feelings for you…they are still here.” She touched her shirt near her heart with her hand to emphasize it.
William took her hands and inching closer to her, he touched her face as she liked, tilting her face up to look at him. He said, “I love you, Willow Rosenberg.”
She reached for his shirt and said into his eyes, “I love you, William. Completely.”
He kissed her, gently at first then more passionately, tasting her need for more.
Walking her to a hooded spot back behind the old courthouse, back into the wooded area that was still standing, William took her mouth again. Enjoying the privacy, the area that was just theirs, Willow wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes.
Feeling the needs in her that were undeniable, Willow moved up against him and did something she never had. She leapt up into his arms, straddling him. She looked at him, waiting for a reaction. He responded passionately, by kissing her romantically. Holding her in his arms, he deepened the kiss, turning her and walking her to the back of the building.
He kissed her mouth, inching his way down her neck, lifting her higher so he could kiss more and more. Holding her against the wall with one hand, William reached under her skirt, surprising her again, and took off her panties, quickly and easily. When she was free of them, he touched her again, continued to touch her until she moved up and down against the brick wall, against his hands. She cried out his name, told him not to stop.
Feeling her contract in his hands, he heard her cry happily and kissing her lips lovingly, he lowered her down and shared his body with hers….
Willow lay on the ground next to him that same evening and said, “Oh…when I learn to not be so daring?” William was about to say how he liked it when he heard her wincing. He said, “You hurt?”
Seeing his concern, Willow said, “I’ve got some scrapes…on my back. But you didn’t hurt me…” Moving closer to him till her mouth was near his as she said, “In fact…” She kissed him and said with the way she kissed him that she was ready for another time. He kissed her back laughing as he said, “Shouldn’t we check your back first?”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “Later…” She kissed him, encouraging him to turn her onto her sensitive back. When he felt the cuts, he moved her to him in a sitting position and made love to her in a way that wasn’t going to hurt her worse. He noted that she didn’t seem to mind in the least. Neither did he!
Parking his car a block from her place, William leaned over and kissed her sweetly. Then noting the cuts again, he took off his black jacket and putting it on her, he said, “It’s a tad big, but no one should notice. Just tell them that you stopped by Anya’s and she leant it to you so you wouldn’t be cold.”
Nodding, Willow said, “I will. Thanks.” Pulling her to him again, William said, “Thank you, love. Meet at the library tomorrow, after classes?”
Willow kissed him again and said, “Sure.” She continued to kiss him, taking his kisses. He stopped her and said, “Willow…honey…you’ve got to go. Before we wind up going somewhere else..." The way he looked at Willow she knew what he was saying...
Willow kissed him once more blushing as she said, “Better go then. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.”
William said, “I love you too, Willow.”
She watched him go as he drove away, then walked inside, remembering tonight, as she headed to her room and went to bed...
TBC…
Last edited by Angie on Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:27 am, edited 2 times in total.
Willow got up at 7:30 that Friday morning happier than normal. Today was the last day of her senior year. Graduation was tomorrow night at 7:00 and following that, summer was here and she could spend more time with William. Here recently Giles had asked her to start doing research for him. Since she had computer experience and was quick to find stuff, he asked her. Willow agreed. She didn’t know what she was researching yet. She’d find out after school, when they all met at the library.
She’d be with Anya and Buffy and so she looked forward to it. After the heart to heart with Buffy two months ago, following getting back with William, she and Buffy were friends again. There was an understanding—William was not Spike as far as Willow saw it and she was in love with him. Buffy had to accept it if she wanted to be friends with Willow. Buffy had agreed, even though deep down Willow guessed she was fighting it. Willow hoped that one day she could forgive him.
Shaking her head, Willow got dressed in her black tank top and black Levi’s, remembering how Buffy had told her that she was fine and that they were good. Knowing that was true, Willow stepped into leather boots and walking over to her closet door she grabbed William’s jacket that she had adopted. He went out and got another so she could keep it! Smiling over that, she put on the worn jacket and pulling her hair out of it, she walked out of her bedroom. Meeting her dad right before he walked out the door, Willow said, “Morning dad.”
Eric took in Willow’s new black look, shook his head with an affectionate fatherly smile, he said, “I’ll never understand the styles of a teenager. All black.”
Willow looked at her outfit, then at her dad and grinned saying, “I don’t always wear black, dad. Just…sometimes.” She had been wearing it a lot here lately. But she liked it. She couldn’t explain why, but she did.
Eric kissed her saying, “It is fine, honey. Wear it with pride.”
Willow said, “I will.”
Willow started for the kitchen when her dad said, “Be careful leaving the school today, Willow. Last day of school everyone’s going to be crazy.”
Willow gave her dad a long look and said, “I’ll be fine, dad. Actually…I’m meeting up with some friends who will drive me over to the library, so I know I’ll be okay. Thanks…for saying that though. I love you, dad.”
Eric said, “I love you too. Here.” He took out some money from his wallet and said, “In case you get hungry or thirsty after school.” Smiling, Willow took the money and put it in her pocket saying, “Thanks, dad.”
Before he left, Eric added, “Oh one more thing, Willow.”
Willow turned and said, “What dad?”
Eric replied, “When you see your boyfriend next, you can tell him it is actually okay to drop you off and pick you up at the house. I prefer that over sneaking.” Catching her surprised look, Eric said, “I wasn’t born yesterday.” Willow was still, not knowing what to say. She was trying to figure out how on earth he knew she even had a boyfriend! Eric caught her busted expression, grinned and said, “Have a good day at school, Willow.”
Willow mumbled, “You too.”
Standing there for a small period of time after he left, Willow just stared.
Then remembering her mom was in the kitchen, she walked into the room and said, “Morning, mom.”
Mallory sat at the table, drinking her coffee, eating her toast and jam and reading the paper. Looking up she smiled and said, “Morning, Willow. You look nice.”
Smiling, Willow took her Mountain Dew to the table and sitting beside her mom, she said, “Thanks. So do you.” Mom always dressed nice. Today she was in a deep blue blazer and skirt and her red hair was pulled up into a twist. She was professional and very pretty, Willow thought. At thirty-six, mom looked young enough in the face that people asked if she and Willow were sisters!
Mallory put down her paper and glanced at Willow, in black and her boyfriend's old jacket, and said, “So what are your plans after school?”
Willow remembered her dad’s conversation from this and said, “I’m meeting Anya and Buffy and we’re going to the library for awhile.” Taking a deep drink of her soda, Willow added, “Dad knows about William. I didn't tell him about him...I wonder how he could know.”
Mallory smiled and said, "Think about it, Will. You and William are going out more, on Fridays and Saturdays..." Willow blushed and Mallory smiled and touched her hand saying, "It's just a parent thing, Will. We pick up on things. I’ve not said anything, though.”
Willow knew she hadn’t and said, “I didn’t think you had, mom. You’ve been amazing about it.” Looking at her mom, Willow added, “I knew a girl in school, Brittany Walker, who when her parents found out she was fooling around with a jock, they kicked her out.”
Mallory said, “What happened to the girl?”
Willow thought of it and looking her mom directly in the eyes she said, “She dropped out…finding herself pregnant soon after. The jock jilted her and she moved in with her cousin, in San Francisco. Or that is the rumor anyway. It went around and around for months this year. Some thought she got what she deserved. I think anyone who thinks that is cruel and doesn’t know what it’s like to mess up.”
Mallory felt panicky all of a sudden as she said, “Willow…this isn’t a special moment where you tell me the girl was you…or you are yourself. Is it? I’d love you if you were, but…”
Willow realized the implications of her words and said reassuringly, “No mom. I’m not pregnant. I take my pill religiously. William and I are very responsible.”
Mallory replied, “I believe you, Willow.” Pausing, she added carefully, “Have you ever talked, the two of you, if something were to happen. What you’d do?”
They hadn’t. Willow grinned trying to blow it off saying, “Mom. We have no reason to talk about that…”
Mallory’s focus became stronger as she said, “I disagree.”
Willow stood and said, “Mom, really. I need to go to school.” Catching Mallory’s long face, Willow said heatedly, “I’m not ignorant, mom! I know the risks as well as anyone else. So does William. If I became…pregnant…” Her mom gave her an inquiring look and Willow said, “I…I don’t want to think about it right now. I don’t know how this turned on me anyway.”
Mallory said, “I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable, Willow. But the fact is you and William do have an active sex life.” She paused, letting Willow have the chance to deny it if her relationship with William was different now. When she didn’t, Mallory nodded and continued, “As long as you do it should be in the back of your mind. I was an honor roll student with marks high enough to get me into Princeton and still found myself pregnant at eighteen. It can happen, Will.” Willow said, “I know it can...but I’m not you, mom.”
Nodding, Mallory said with a smile, “Nope. You’re not. Willow?”
Turning, Willow rolled her eyes and said, “Yes?”
Mallory said, “If you did find that out, I would be here for you. So would your dad. If you can’t talk to William about it, I feel it is good that we do.”
Shaken, Willow went to school, wondering how in hell that conversation ever came up. Me and my big mouth, Willow thought miserably!
Choosing to walk this morning since it was her last ever, Willow started up the walk and had gotten about two blocks away from home when she saw William coming up beside her. Turning, she smiled and said, “Hey.”
William said, “Hop in. I’ll take you to school.”
Opening the passenger door, Willow climbed in and shutting the door, passively she moved over to him. Putting the car in park, he leaned over and kissed her, leisurely. They broke apart, looking at each other. Willow said, “What time is it?”
William said, “Time? Oh,” looking at his clock on the car he said, “About quarter till eight.” Grinning, catching her interested look, he said, “It’d have to be quick.”
Willow smiled and said, “Oh…well if you don’t think it can be done…I can wait.”
Toying with her shirt, William said with a grin, “I never said it wasn’t possible…”
Turning on the engine, he took Willow to an abandoned warehouse, out in the middle of nowhere. Carrying Willow inside, William took off her clothes as he kissed her. She pulled off his jeans and his shirt and kissing back over and over, they found a spot on the wooden floor, and on it, they shared themselves with each other...
It was quick, but meant as much as every other time they spent together. Willow smiled at William as he drove her to the school that morning. He pulled her to the stop outside the school at five after eight, ten minutes before school started. Moving in, he kissed her sweetly. She kissed him back. He said, “What you doing after school?” The main question of the morning it seemed, Willow thought for a second with a smile inside herself.
Willow said, “Going to the library with Anya and Buffy. We have some kind of Scooby Meeting as they put it. I’m supposed to be doing research for Giles.”
Hearing of Giles through Willow, William said, “Maybe I’ll see you there. I’ve got some research I’m needing to do for my novel.”
Smiling, Willow said, “Okay. Well…I’ll see you later.”
Climbing out, she shut the door and walked to his side of the car. She leaned down and said privately, “Thank you for the ride to school…and other things.”
William chuckled in between kissing her back saying, “My pleasure. Thank you too.” Willow smiled slyly and said, "You're welcome...I liked it." Kissing each other, Willow didn't care if anyone saw her kissing William. She loved being with him.
Hearing the bell, Willow said, “I am so glad that today’s the last day of the year and that I graduate tomorrow.” William laughed and said, “You’ll be ready to start college before it ever starts.”
Grinning, Willow said, “You’re probably right.” Just then she remembered she didn’t bring her lunch and she wasn’t about to eat what they were serving.
Her expression had William saying, “What’s up?”
Willow said, “I forgot my lunch on the table.”
William replied, “I’ll come get you. We’ll go somewhere.” Feeling him pulling her to him again, Willow went willingly and took his kiss, kissing him back.
Anya said, “Hey, Willow. William.” She was late herself. Willow said, “Hi An. Wait, I’ll come with you.” She kissed William once more and said, “I get out at 12:00.”
William said, “Got it. Here’s your jacket. Enjoy your last day.” Willow took the leather coat and said, “I’d enjoy it more if you were here. But I’ll survive.” She caught him out of the corner of her eye watching her go. She grinned and met up with Anya saying, “He’s a pervert…but he’s mine.”
Grinning with her, Anya put her arm around her shoulder as a best friend would and said, “That’s right. You still coming to the library this afternoon?”
Nodding, Willow said, “Planned to. What’s going on anyway? I mean I know I’m researching something…but what is it?”
Anya said, “You’ll see. I can’t talk about it here. But you’re good at computers so it will be easy work.”
Willow said, “You’re so confident.”
Anya said, “I know you’ll be fine. Now lets go before I go on impulse and blow the day off.”
Willow grinned and said, “I know…” thinking about something else she said, “This is our last day forever. Skipping would be cool...but not who we are. Besides tomorrow is graduation."
Anya said, “I know and I can't wait!"
They went inside and spent the morning hanging out, as the day was more technical than actual work. They watched videos and passed notes from 8:15 to 11:45….
Meeting William outside the school at noon, Willow climbed in. William asked, “How’s it going?”
Showing him how bored she was with her eyes, Willow said, “I’ve started a train of notes, taking time to spell check them and grammar check them before passing them on. If that tells you anything.”
Laughing, William started the car and headed down the street saying, “Sounds as productive as me spell checking my novel and surfing the web after.”
Willow grinned saying, “I am so ready for this day to end. Then I can go the library.”
William put his arm around her and said, “Sorry, love. It’s not far from over now.”
Moving close, she lay her head on his shoulder and said with a relaxed sigh, “I know…I just need something to break this monotony. I mean why make everyone come to school on a day when nothing is happening?” William said, “Don’t know, Will. Doesn’t make sense to me either.”
Pulling into Mc Donald’s, William parked and they went inside. He though to himself that it might not be so boring in the end.
As they ordered their food and took a seat at the table, Willow looked at William and said, “Sorry for my crummy mood earlier. I think it stems from this morning…with my mom.”
William took a drink of his Dew and said, “You two get into it?”
Willow said, “No, it was weird!” realizing she was fixing on going into a long winded explanation, Willow shook her head and said, “Nope. I’ve been a whiner long enough.” Smiling, she reached for his hand and held it.
William ran his fingers over hers casually and said, “Was it about us?”
Willow said, “Sort of. But we don’t have to go into it…I mean I’m sure you would rather talk about your novel. How is that going by the way?”
Shrugging, William removed his hand and said, “It’s getting there. I’m done with my first draft. So now I’m just touching it up here and there. I figure it will be ready to hand in, by the middle of next week.”
Smiling, Willow said, “I get to read it before it goes to New York…right?”
Playing footsie under the table, William said with a smile, “You get to read it first.”
Elated, Willow said, “Oh goodie. You’ve made my day.”
William and Willow finished eating, then way early to go back they took a drive to the ocean and sat on the sand. Looking out at the water, Willow said, “William…”
William turned his face to her and said, “Yeah?”
Willow asked quietly, “If…if I…oh this sounds silly. Nevermind.”
William said, “I don’t mind silly. What’s up?”
Looking into his eyes, Willow said, “This morning, my mom asked me something that I hadn’t thought to bring up to you…something personal…and…something we don’t have to worry about but she seems to think I should talk about it to you….”
William said, “What is it?”
Willow let out a deep breath and went forward, “If I were to become pregnant…I’m not now…but if I did…what would we do? I know…it sounds preposterous when we aren’t there.”
William took Willow’s hand in his and said, “It isn’t preposterous. We are very close…and I’ve thought about it.”
Willow said, “You have? I…didn’t know that.”
William said, “I wasn’t hiding it, Willow. We just hadn’t discussed it yet.”
Willow touched his shirt in the spot that told him she was thinking about him and said with a grin, “So what would you do?”
William grabbed her hand gently and said intently, “I’d take you whereever you wanted and I'd marry you. I love you, Willow.”
Touched beyond anything she could say, Willow felt tears coming to her eyes as she said, “I would go with you and gladly marry you, because I love you too.” She framed his face with her hands and bringing his mouth down to hers she kissed him through emotions.
William broke the kiss momentarily, wiped some of her tears that fell over this declaration, saying, “There’s nothing we can’t talk about, Willow. If you ever found that out, I’d want you to feel you could tell me…me of all people.”
Willow said, “I would. I am so thankful to have you, William. I love you so much.” William pulled Willow to him and said, “Willow you’ve become everything to me. I want to marry you when you’re out of school.”
Willow said, “You’re proposing to me?”
William said, “Not officially, as in I haven’t gotten the ring yet and I haven’t done it up as I want to.”
Willow shook her head, bringing her mouth to his again saying through tears of happiness, “You don’t have to. Not with me.”
William said, “I want to. You’re worth it. Since I don’t have an official engagement ring yet persay, here.” He pulled a ring off his pinky finger. It was the one Willow liked, it was simple, but held a tiny stone in it that sparkled.
William confessed, "To a lot of folks a ring like this means what it is. To me...it holds just a little more meaning. I've lost a lot of years and when I got them back I swore I'd do things the right way. I never...I never thought I'd be given someone who loves me, like you do, Will. I never thought that I deserved it. But I'm here and I have you and I love you so completely that I never want to think of my life without you. I'm committed to you, Willow, from now till the day I die. I'm yours."
Willow was happily crying. She said, "I'm yours too. Forever, William. I love you."
He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her gently. Willow didn’t want a space between them and moved up against him, on her knees, feeling him moving that way too.
Kissing her again, deeper this time, William and Willow undressed each other, nakedly slid down on the blanket, on the sandy beach and made love...
Meeting at the library after school, Willow, Anya, Xander, and Buffy met Giles who was seated around books with glasses halfway down his nose. Willow itched to remind him to push them up! Walking to a chair, she sat with the others and said, “So, Giles…I’m here. What do I need to do?”
Giles smiled at Willow and said, “Willow I am so glad you are here. That you have agreed to join this group of…amateurs really.” Buffy said, “Hey! Speak for yourself, Giles.”
Giles said, “I speak for us all, Buffy. We are beginners in this. Just as you are still very much a beginner at being a slayer, in many, many ways. Despite my two years training you.”
Buffy’s eyes got large for dramatics, then she turned to Willow and said, “We put up with Giles.”
Grinning, Willow said, “I see.” Walking over to Giles when he motioned for her to, Willow took in the computer screen and the topic—Demons.
Raising her eyebrows, Willow turned to Giles and said, “Is this a general search or a particular one?” She moved to the chair in front of the laptop, not waiting for his answer.
Giles said, “Well…so far it is pretty general. I am trying to do some research because according to my records we’re about to face an attack, by midsummer.”
Willow said, “Okay, we’ve got several sites here. I think this might be what we’re after though.” Clicking on the first one, she said, “It takes a second because it is a big file.”
Giles said, “We’ve got time. Two months anyway.”
Willow grinned saying, “I don’t’ think it will take that long…Here! Look at this, Giles. It gives pic’s, descriptions, and everything, linked by centuries. Take a seat beside me.”
Giles sat next to Willow saying, “Okay. I think we’re talking about a Molecular Demon called Kushnor.”
Nodding, Willow said, “Okay. We’ll just type in Kushnor.” Doing so, she said, “Yeah. It seems he comes from the 18th century in Paris. Oh. He was quite active. Here, I’ll print off the info I’ve found so we can dissect it.” She hit print and waited, looking at the group. She said, “This is a beginning, but there are dozens of sites that we can go to. If we work together…I think it can be done.”
Giles said, “I think so too. Thanks, Willow.” Turning to Buffy, Giles said sternly, “Buffy, I am going to give you a copy of what Willow has downloaded. I want you to go into the stacks and find books on this guy.”
Buffy said, “Oh goodie. Out of school for the summer and I get a homework assignment.”
Giles gave her a long look and said, “You’re a slayer…you get to work.” Turning to the others he said, “We all do.”
Willow called home and told her mom she'd be late...
They spent the next three hours working at the computer, at the table, decking all the documents out as well as books. Buffy sat in a corner, reading, or trying to, while she rubbed her eyes. Xander and Anya filed what they had into order. Willow sat behind the screen, continuing to investigate, with Giles at her side.
By eight that night, Willow said, “I’m exhausted…and stumped. I mean, what is it that makes this guy so dangerous to us now? I mean he died out in the 1800’s. What weapon does he have? Aside from generic ones…”
Giles said, “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. I’ve been trying for months, Willow.” Seeing her rubbing her eyes, he said, “It’s okay. You don’t have to spend the night here. We’ll reconvene tomorrow at three.”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “No, I agreed…to help…” even as she fell asleep.
William walked to the table, seeing Willow asleep on the table. He said, “Hi…” Anya said, “Hey, William. Willow’s had it. You might want to take her home.”
William walked to Willow and nudging her he said, “Willow? Wake up, honey.” Willow barely looked up and when she did she said, “William…I’ve just about found it…”
He chuckled and said, “You’ll crack at it some more tomorrow. Come on, love.” Picking her up, he said, “Night guys.” Giles, Anya and Xander said goodnight. Buffy merely glared and nodded crisply.
William took her to his car and drove her on home….
Willow paced her living room for an hour trying to go over her speech for tonight and couldn't get anywhere. Mallory saw it as she walked downstairs from her phone call. Her girl was about to graduate high school, valedictorian! Mallory had called everyone and was ecstatic about it. Willow, though, looked terrified.
Seh bit her nail and ran her hands through her hair and finally stopped and yelled. "Ugh! I'm never going to get this right!"
Mallory walked over and said, "Well I'm here so you can read it to me."
Willow looked at her mom and said, "It's just that...when I go through this I don't know what to say...after I begin..." Sitting down, Willow said honestly, "Except for An and Buffy and the guys I didn't hang out with people like Cordelia or the populars. So how can I look at them and say, "Remember all the good times we've shared together." Shaking her head she said, "My good times were spent in the lab."
Mallory said, "So talk about the lab. About your fond memories."
Willow said, "Nobody will want to hear that...they want to hear about parties and fun social things...stuff I didn't go to."
Mallory moved beside Willow on the couch and said, “Hey, listen to me. Just because you didn’t go to the Prom as queen or get all the awards or…” laughing she said, “Get into partying hard, doesn’t mean that you can’t give a fantastic speech. And I will love it, you know that.”
Willow smiled largely at her mom and hugging her she said, “Thanks, mom. I love you.”
Mallory said, “I love you too.”
Mallory asked, “Did you tell your dad that William is going to take you to graduation tonight.”
Willow shook her head and said nervously, “Nah…I haven’t yet.”
Mallory gave Willow a long look and said amused, “Because you haven’t told him about him at all, right?”
Willow said with a smile, “Right…”
Mallory said, “You have to get the nerve up, Will. He’s not going to attack you for dating William.”
Willow said, “He’s twenty five.”
Mallory rose her brows and said, “Yeah? You’re eighteen, Will, old enough to date a guy older than you.”
Nodding, Willow knew her mom was right. She needed to tell her dad about William.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
An hour later… 4:45 PM
William had come by to talk to Willow about the graduation and about the Scooby Meeting coming up. Dad was gone at work and so it was just he and Willow and mom in the other room trying to make sure everything was good for the after graduation party.
William continued, “Giles seems to think tonight could get ugly. Grad night, least expected timing for baddies.”
Willow said, “So that means double time worry.”
William said, “Yep.”
Willow slipped on her black flats and said, “So what’s Buffy going to do?”
William said levelly, “You mean besides going to the party after and saying fuck it to Giles? Not a damn thing.” It pissed William off and half the rest as well, how easily Buffy would disregard the group or her calling.
Willow felt the same ticked off feelings about her friend. She stood and watched her purple gown fall to her ankles. She was dressed in her graduation gown. Looking up at William she said, “Why doesn’t she just go tell Giles she doesn’t want to slay anymore? Give it to somebody who will.”
William handed Willow her earrings and said, “Beats me.”
Willow put her silver earrings on and said, “I’d accept the role, if Giles would let me.”
William said, “You’d do a good job too, Will. I know you would. You fight as well as she does.”
Willow walked closer to William and said, “Thank you…I think you’re a pretty good fighter too.”
William leaned forward and kissed Willow, hanging on to her hair, while Willow held his shirt and her toes in her shoes bent upward.
Xander walked in with Anya and camera happy he took a picture. Breaking away, Willow said, “Xander!”
William said, “Bloody hell, can’t I kiss my girl in peace?”
Eric held his jacket in his arm and hearing and seeing this entire scene he said, “Xander why don’t you and Anya go get a soda from the kitchen.”
Agreeing, they left the room, figuring Daddy was home.
Eric sat down his jacket and said, “Willow, why don’t you go visit with Anya and Xander for a bit? I’d like to talk to your boyfriend.”
Willow looked at William and saw he was cool and said, “Okay. William you want something to drink?”
William shook his head and said, “No, I’m good.”
Willow left the room.
Eric looked at William and said, “What are you doing here, Spike?”
William looked at Eric and knew this was going to be bad now. He said, “What am I doing here? I’m here seeing Willow.”
Eric said, “My daughter is a young girl who is going to college in August to be a scientist. To do something exciting with her life. She’s my life, mine and Mallory’s.”
William said, “I know she is. She’s my life too, Eric.”
Eric looked at William and said, “Really? How much of your life is she?”
Willaim began to pace and said uncomfortably, “Hell, Eric…”
Eric said, “It may be personal, but I don’t care, not right now. I want to know how serious you are.”
William looked directly at his old friend and said, “Eric I’m not going to damage Willow to you, you can do your own guesstimations from what I tell you. But I say this and mean it, I am in love with Willow. I love her! It’s not a like or a past-time romance. I want to marry her. She graduates tonight and I intend to give her an engagement ring after. I want to marry her this summer.”
Eric nodded and said, “So you are here to date Willow and want to marry her. What about your past, Spike?”
William said, “It’s history. Along with the years. I’ve got a new life, Eric, the powers gave it to me, five years ago. It’s legit and I’m actually doing pretty well. I’ve become a full time writer.”
Eric said, “I thought you were killed years ago.”
William said, “Nope. Given another chance. That’s all. But how I feel about her is real Eric, I’m not playing her. I mean that and you know that I’ve played before.”
William stood, expecting to be asked to leave anyway.
Eric let out a deep breath and said, “Alright. I’ll concede that you’re different and we are old friends so I know you’re not lying.”
William sat down across from Eric and said, “No, I’m not lying.”
Mallory and Willow walked in with Anya and Xander in the kitchen listening. Willow walked toward her dad and said, “Dad, I love William.”
Eric said, “You know he’s wanting to marry you?”
Willow smiled at William and said, “I know. I want to marry him too.”
Eric smiled and said, “Well then I guess we need to get to know each other again.”
William nodded and smiled back saying, “I agree.”
Eric shook William’s hand and William shook his back.
Mallory smiled and joined them in the room…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
At the School…
“William I’m scared to death…what if I…forget what I wrote?”
William stopped Willow from pacing and looking into her eyes he said simply, “Relax, love.”
Willow said nervously, “What if…”
William said, “Okay, new idea. Toss the cards. Just don’t even go up there with them.”
Willow said, “What?”
William haunched down and looking at Willow he helped her sit with him and said, “Trust me. Just go up there and tell them all what you loved about school. In as long or short as you like. We will love your tale and it will leave us all moved because it comes from that right there,” he pointed to her heart.
Willow said, “But…I wish Buffy was giving this.”
William laughed and said, “Then you would wish it was you…no offense, but I don’t think the speech would sound as good. No, you’re going to do a great job.”
Willow said, “Thanks…”
William kissed Willow sweetly. Willow kissed him back and said, “You sure it’s going to be okay?”
William chuckled and holding her closely he said, “It’s going to be great.”
As they walked to their seats, Willow started to worry about it again, and Eric looked at her and said, “Willow!”
Willow said, “Sorry…I know it will be fine. I just hate getting up there in front of everyone…I feel so…out there.”
William said, “Well after it’s over you’ll be relaxing and we’ll be celebrating your graduation. Then planning our wedding.”
Eric and Mallory took their seats and William sat next to them. Willow gave the speech and fought nerves the entire time.
The class of 1999 graduated in a matter of an hour…but that wasn’t where it was going to end. There were plans for a battle coming soon…and William and Willow were making their own plans for a wedding in June…
Willow climbed out of bed at around nine that Monday morning. She knew she could sleep in later, but she wanted time to get alive before facing another day on her laptop. The more she worked on it, the more she wondered if William might be someone worth asking…but she wondered if it might be offensive. To ask questions like that would be to expect him to relive experiences that he was trying to overcome. So for the past couple of weeks, Willow had denied bringing it up to him, just discussed her research in general.
He was an eighteenth century ex-demon. And he did say that she could ask him whatever she wanted. Looking at her new emerald engagement ring, she pondered it as she put on her blue jeans and navy blue tank top. Brushing out her hair, then going to the bathroom to brush her teeth, Willow continued to wonder. She walked to the kitchen, seeing her mom sitting there and nearly asked what was wrong. Then she remembered mom was taking today off as a vacation day. Smiling, she said, “Morning, mom.”
Mallory was in her robe, drinking coffee, enjoying her day off. She smiled at Willow and said, “Good morning, Willow.”
Willow reached in the fridge for her Dew and walked to the table. Sitting and catching her mom’s disapproving look, Willow said, “I know. I’m not eating right. But mom I don’t eat breakfast during the school year, why do it in the summer?”
Shrugging, Mallory guessed she could do worse. So she said, “It’s fine, honey. So what are your plans today…or is today another library day?”
Willow replied, “I’ll be around here, working on library projects for Buffy.” Pausing, Willow added, biting her lower lip, “I think I might call William, see if he can stop by. I need his help with this.”
Mallory said, “Well I’m going into LA to do some shopping. So I won’t be back until around 4. You be careful and have a good day.” Willow said, “I will. You too.”
Mom smiled back, kissed Willow on the cheek, and took her cup to the sink, starting her walk to her room, to get dressed.
Willow waited until mom was in the other room and then reaching for the phone, she dialed. After two rings, William picked up and said, “Hello?”
Willow said, “Hey, William. It’s me, Willow…”
William smiled into the phone and said, “Hey girl.”
Willow said, “Would you mind coming by for awhile?”
Nodding, William said, “Sure. I’m on my way.” Willow smiled and said, “Okay. See you later.” She hung up and grabbing her laptop off her bedroom desk, she brought it to the kitchen and hooked it up. Booting her up, Willow sat in front of it and waited. Taking another drink of her Dew she watched as her mom moved around the house, getting ready to go shopping.
Smiling, Willow said, “Your brown shoes are in the living room, mom.”
She heard her mom holler thanks and continued to watch as her screens came up. Finding her desktop, she clicked on the Internet, in time for William to knock on the door. Walking to it, Willow opened it up and seeing him, smiling, Willow said, “Thanks for stopping by.”
William walked in and said, “No problem. What’s the project?”
Willow hadn’t told him yet because she was afraid he might get offended. Now she had to. She said, “I’ve got it loading in the kitchen. Want something to drink? Coffee, Dew?”
William said, “Dew is fine.” Willow grabbed him one and sitting at her chair, watching as William grabbed a chair and sat beside her, she said, “Just a second.” She typed in Molecular Demons of the 18th Century and pulled up her site. Typing in Kushnor, she waited and found her information.
William recognized it and said, “Kushnor…” he said it with menace and Willow said, “Knew him?”
William said, “Let’s just say he hung close to where I lived for awhile. We weren’t buddies.”
Willow said, “Well Giles has me working on this, trying to figure him out. Find out what he might have that is detrimental to us. I’m guessing nothing at this point—though I won’t tell him that. He is afraid that this thing is going to come at us.”
William said, “When?”
Willow looked over at him, seeing his concern and said nervously, “Midsummer…Giles figures middle of July…why?”
William said, “This demon isn’t exactly quiet when he comes. He’s destructive, has followers by the hundreds, Will. Why Sunnydale though?”
Willow shrugged saying, “I don’t know…exactly. I just know that Giles is freaked out about it and determined we find out what it is this thing might have to destroy us with.”
William said, “He has power.” Running his hands over his face he added, “He fights with large tools that he gets from…” awareness dawning, William said, “from places he knows are available. Which means…” he said, “Can I get on there a minute?”
Nodding, Willow said, “Sure…”
William started clicking on in the Net and typing Sunnydale History he found what he needed. “Apparently Sunnydale once was a home to demons, but when the warriors who came in defeated them in the twelfth century, it cleaned up. Problem is the weapons are still here. They’re just buried.” Clicking some more, William said with a dry laugh, “Buried in a place no one would suspect…the library.” Willow saw her mom walking into the living room, watching with interest and smiled, then turned to William and said, “So what do we need to do?”
William said, “Dig.”
It was that fast and William knew he was a part of this. He had been wanting this chance, to fight for the good side and helping in this way, it felt that maybe he was making up for the wrongs he committed. He went with Willow to Giles that day and said, “I know what it is that Kushnor wants.”
Giles said, “Excellent. Please sit and tell me so we can get to work on this.”
William said, “Can we talk a minute?”
Nodding, Giles said, “We’ll be right back, Willow.” Willow nodded, knowing about this and watched as William walked with Giles to the study.
William said, “This may sound strange, or against protocol. If it is tell me. But I wondered if maybe I could help with this investigation.”
Giles said, “Sure. We could use the help.”
William said, “Good. I’m William Berkley by the way, in case you didn’t know.”
Giles said, “Nice to meet you, William. I hear you are dating Willow.”
William said, “Actually Will and I are engaged. We’re getting married beginning of next month. But that has nothing to do with me being here, not totally. For me, it is more a personal thing, trying to vindicate old mistakes. I’m linked to this in ways I wish I wasn’t.”
Giles looked over at William and said, “I think we can all learn from mistakes and try to improve ourselves, William. We’ve all done things we wish we hadn’t. You are more than welcome to join our group.”
Walking out with him, William felt better. He felt he was working closer to completely sealing off that old life for good….
Buffy walked in about this time and said, “What is he doing here?”
She was here for a workout.
Giles said, “Well, Buffy, William is going to be a part of our team.”
Shaking her head, Buffy said, “No way! He isn’t a member…he can’t join just like that.” She snapped her fingers to add effect.
Willow asked, “Why not?”
Seeing Willow there, Buffy tried to calm her energy down and said, “Willow…I forgot you’d be here today.”
Willow crossed her arms and said “Forget I’m here, then. Continue this. I’d like to know why William isn’t good enough to be a part of our group.”
William said, “Willow this isn’t necessary. I’ll just leave.”
Willow said, “Not yet.” Turning to Buffy, she said, “You think you run this show, don’t you? Because you’re the slayer.”
Buffy said, “I am the slayer.”
Willow said, “I never said you weren’t. But you are so bitter about something he can’t change that you can’t see him as worthy of helping. That’s single-minded, one-dimensional, and…a lot of other bad things, Buffy.”
Buffy said, “Back off Will. This isn’t about us as friends…but it could be.”
Willow said, “You know at this point I don’t care. I want an answer, Buffy. Why.”
Buffy said, “He isn’t a part of our group…he wasn’t elected in.”
Giles stood up then and said, “Yes, Buffy, he is.”
Shocked, Buffy looked up at him and said, “You?”
Nodding, Giles said, “Me. I elected William in as a warrior. We need him and despite whatever history you share that is causing bitterness he is a part of the Scoobies. An official part. Now if that means you have to take a few minutes in the bathroom to accept it, to digest it, fine. But I’m not going to put up with this nonsense when our lives may be in jeopardy.”
Buffy glared at Giles and said, “Kiss my ass!" Too pissed to care about the group and their grins at her, Buffy huffed and stormed out. Giles turned to Willow and William and said, “Now we are going to work. Any suggestions you have William are worth hearing. Please feel free to share them.”
William said, “I don’t want to cause a rift…or problems.”
Giles said, “You haven’t. Trust me, she’ll accept it. She’s the slayer. Her job requires it. Just watch your back.”
William knew he would. He sat with Willow and they got to work….
Friday, July 10, 1999—At William and Willow's
Six PM
Following their wedding last month, William and Willow spent several weeks training for the upcoming battle. Having located the weapons, it became urgent to learn how to fight with them. Giles and William both took turns professionally training Willow, when each had time. William was in New York for a few days, working with editors and staff members for his novel, so while he was gone, Giles worked with her. Now that he was back, with information on what he heard about the ships coming in with certain cargo, fencing could resume.
That Friday night, William and Willow were in his place, bracing for another go. William didn’t have to tell her to come at him. She set it in her mind and began fighting. William tried to reach for her unexpectedly in a way that once was like a blind spot and very tricky, sending her on her butt. Tonight it wasn’t a problem. She saw his advance and blocked it successfully.
Continuing with other maneuvers that they had worked on, some that were still challenging, William and Willow tested each other. He kicked out, sending her on her butt. She kicked up, moving forward with blows and kicks and sending him on his back.
This went on for about an hour, then William said, temporarily short of breath, “New obstacles.” Willow said, “We can take a break…if you want.”
Shaking his head, William said, “No, we need to keep working. We’re short on time now. If I’m right Kushnor is already on his way here. If he came on that steamer, a week ago, when I was in New York, like I think he did, then we definitely don’t have time to waste. Here. Swords. Will, before we begin, I am not above getting knicked or scraped. I was a scrapper for too long to be that way.” When he saw she held her sword in fighting mode he said, “Give it to me.”
Willow wasn’t afraid of getting cut either. She accepted when she chose to be trained that she might get hurt. It was part of being a fighter. She already had some scars from training, but she felt it made her stronger, more successful as a warrior.
Gauging the distance between herself and her oppressor, Willow braced herself and catching him off guard, surprising herself, she began lunging out with her blade. He caught up and blocked the definite scrape that would have got his arm if he hadn’t, then fought back. Neither played with the other, they challenged, and dueled as if they were real archenemies.
She’d practiced this way before, so she wasn’t quite as slow at it as she had been. But she still wasn’t as skillful as William—not yet. It meant she had to work doubly hard to keep up with him, because he didn’t go easy on her. She didn’t want him to. She needed to feel what it would be like to go at someone with the full intent on hurting her—possibly killing her.
When he felt she was weakening, William would say something to tick her off, get her adrenaline going again and had her giving him her best again. Her arms were so sore, but she ignored it as she kept on. She fenced with William, all through his living room. Furniture had been moved out to the deck during this so they had the entire floor to work.
In a move that she wasn’t expecting, he switched hands with his blade, knocking hers out of her hand, then turning her around in his embrace, he held her back up against him, panting, “Enough…”
Panting too, Willow nodded and said, “Yes.”
He dropped his blade and Willow grinned saying, “You shouldn’t do that.” She knocked him on the carpet with a powerful lunge back with her body. When she had him down, she turned, on top of him and smiling she said, “Wasn’t it you that said it makes you vulnerable?”
Grinning, pushing her sweaty hair back out of her face, William said, “I did.”
Adrenaline still in them both, Willow said, “What is it about fighting you that gets me feeling…really…in the mood?”
William grinned largely and said, “I don’t know. Does it to me too.”
Willow said, “Really?”
William said, “Why do you think I pulled you up against me like I did? Fighting with someone you desire is…torture.”
In a fast move that had her excited, William moved to a sitting position with Willow still on his lap and began kissing her. When he moved his kisses to her neck, Willow said, “I’m sweaty, William…”
Chuckling, William said, “I’ll forgive it if you will.”
Willow grinned and said, “Oh, I forgive it alright.” She pushed his black tank top up over his head and began kissing his neck, and briefly his chest, then back up to his mouth. He’d removed her top and bra romantically, and slowly lowered her to the floor.
Pushing off her green leggings, William started to head down to other areas. By the time his eyes reached hers again she was more than ready. She took his mouth with hers and all but demanded it. Shoving swords far out of the range of getting injured, they made love in a special way that was William and Willow from beginning to the end...
Awakening at around ten that night in William’s bed where he carried her last, Willow sat up, groggily, but smiling, and began to get dressed. William was already dressed and in his kitchen. Dressed in her original clothes, her leggings and green shirt, bra and underpants, Willow walked into the kitchen. He was at the stove, cooking something. She walked over and put her arms around him saying with a smile, “Hello.”
Taking her hands, he squeezed them and turning down the heat over what he was cooking, William turned to Willow with a smile on his face. The love in his eyes. He said, “Sleep well?”
Smiling, Willow said, “What we got, yeah…but I didn’t need it.” William felt her touching his shirt in the way they both liked. Lowering his face, he kissed her, saying, “Me either.”
When the kiss ended, William held Willow close and said, “You hungry?”
Nodding, Willow said, “I can eat…but I’d rather stand here and hold you…”
Turning off his food that he’d cooked, William pushed it to a backburner, then taking Willow’s hands he led her to the center of the kitchen and standing with her he did as she wished. He held her. He started dancing with her and she smiled, looking up into his eyes. It was romantic and sweet. He said, “I love you, Willow.”
Willow said, “I love you, William.”
They held each other close and danced, each knowing that in less than a week one or both of them could be stolen from the other in a massacre. As much as they wanted to believe it wouldn’t happen, the fighter instincts inside them told them they’d be fools if they doubted the possibility. They shared another thirty minutes doing just this….
The next day...
Willow drove over to mom and dad's the next day. Sitting together at the table, Mallory noted she was thinking about something, something she wasn’t talking about. Mallory took a drink of her Pepsi and then said, “You all right, Willow? You seem like something is on your mind.”
Willow’s mind was still on the battle topic and she said, “It’s the battle. I am worried about William…that something could happen to him….” Feeling the horrific fear inside her heart, she said, “That I could lose him…” She put a smile on her face though, trying to fight it and said, “I’m not going to worry though…I’m here to visit with you.”
Mallory saw Willow’s real pain and knew she couldn’t say it would be okay. As William had said, there were no guarantees. She scooted closer to Willow rubbing her arm with her hand motherly, Mallory said, “It’s not easy being a warrior is it?”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “No…it’s not. But it’s who we are. We are depended on just like Buffy is. And William will be fine. I have to stop worrying about it, he’s a tough guy.”
Malloyr smiled, proud of her, as she said, “He is and you’re a pretty tough girl too. You’ll get through this, Willow. The group of you will, together.”
Willow said, “Thanks, mom.”
Mallory said, “You’re welcome. Now let’s talk about your birthday coming up. The party…”
Smiling largely, feeling glad that her mom was going to talk about something else, that she was here today, Willow said, “Okay. What are we fixing? Aunt Renae won’t be here will she?”
Mallory laughed and Willow laughed with her…
Over the next several days, Willow and William continued to practice during the day, getting the routines down. After fencing, they made love, each time becoming a little bit more personal and emotional, because of the upcoming fight. Knowing how much they loved each other and how big of a risk they were taking by saving Sunnydale.
Buffy and Willow got along just enough to work together. Willow saw the way she treated William and it irked her. If she couldn’t be nice to William, she sure as hell didn’t need to think Willow was going to be her best friend. So she hung with Anya and William and worked hard for Giles. As the days were continuously crossed on the calendar, the 18th just a couple days away, Willow felt she was ready….
The next day, William took a drive over to Willow’s. He’d called before driving over and took his time getting there. A bad night of dreams the night before led him to this point.
Parking in the driveway, he got out and walked to the front door. Knocking, he was met by the person he called that day…Mallory. Smiling, Mallory said, “Won’t you come in?”
Shaking his head, William said, “I think it’d be best if we talked someplace else…maybe where we went before.”
Nodding, nervous, Mallory said, “Sure.” Taking off her apron she put it on the table in the foyer and walked out with William. Climbing in his convertible, she rode beside him in next to silence. When they parked, Mallory said, “What is it William?”
Thumbing the steering wheel, William said, “I’m going to tell you flat out. The things we went through eighteen years ago? They’re returning, only I’ve switched to the good side. We both know that Willow is Rory’s.”
Nodding, Mallory said, “I haven’t told her yet…I’m not sure how.”
William said, “That’s why I’m here. I’m thinking you should tell her, if possible today.”
Mallory shook her head saying, “I can’t just tell her without…without time to plan it.”
William said, “We may not have it. Sunnydale is in danger. Kushnor, a very powerful demon and his buddies are going to wreck some kind of hell over all of us—if Giles has it right, on the 18th.”
Mallory knew about fighting, she had watched Rory do it when she was seventeen. She knew about that life. So she said nervously, “The eighteenth is tomorrow.”
William said, “Exactly. You ever hear about warriors having premonitions?”
Mallory said in thought, “Rory had them.”
William said, “Uh-huh. Well, I have them too.” Meeting her direct gaze he said, “Willow was in them.” Catching her surprise, William said, “Yeah.” Taking a deep breath, William said, “She is also a warrior.”
Mallory nodded and said, “I know… Willow told me.”
William said, “I don’t know if she’s told you, but we’ve been fencing for the past several weeks getting ready for this battle.”
Mallory nodded, that they had.
William figured that Will had shared it with her so he simply nodded and added proudly, “Will’s a hell of a fighter, Mallory…” Again, meeting her eyes, William said, “Just like her dad. Rory would be proud.”
Mallory said shakily, “I haven’t spoken to Rory in over eighteen years, William. When I got pregnant, Rory left. I know he was young and I don’t hate him, but he wasn’t there. I met Eric and fell in love with him. We married and he helped me raise Willow. He is the only dad she knows. You’re asking me to tell her that the dad she has grown up with isn’t really her dad at all?”
Shaking his head, William said, “No. I don’t think you should put it like that. He is still her dad…he did raise her so he has ties. But he isn’t Rory.”
Seeing the upset in her face, William said, “I’m not trying to upset you, Mallory.”
Mallory said, “I know. So how is Willow in this triangle of danger?”
William chuckled over that, the sobered when he saw she wasn’t laughing. He said, “Sorry. Willow is a fighter. She fights beside me and a few others who are devoted to stopping this monster.”
Mallory said, “Willow turns nineteen on the 20th, William. Eric and I give a party for her every year. Despite her age and her being married now, we still want to give her one. We’ve done it since Willow was little.” Tears were in her eyes.
William smiled affectionately, and touched Mallory’s hand as a friend and said, “I’m sure Willow loves them.”
Mallory rambled nervously, “She does… I’m so worried about her. Day after tomorrow I want to see the two of you there, celebrating together with balloons, eating chocolate cake and ice cream. I want to take lots of pictures. A game will be on in the afternoon, I’ve been hearing it advertised for days. I’m sure you and Eric will be watching it...right?” She wanted to hear him say they would be.
William knew she was scared, but he wasn’t going to lie. He replied disconcertingly, “I can’t make guarantees, but I will say this. I will be right beside her the entire night. If someone comes at her, they’ll fight me first. I’ll die before something happens to Willow.”
Hearing the seriousness and dedication in his voice, Mallory believed him. She said, “Thank you, William.” Looking up at him in the car, Mallory wiped her tears away and said, “Take me to the house…yours and Will’s.”
William nodded and said, “Okay.”
He started the car and drove them to the condo. Shutting off the alarm and unlocking the door, William and Mallory walked inside. He hollered and Will said she was upstairs. Mallory said, “Come up with me. We’ll tell her together…so there are no secrets.”
William said, “Okay.” William led Mallory up the stairs to his and Will’s bedroom…
Smiling, William said, “Thanks.” He walked up the stairs, toward Willow’s bedroom. Knocking, he said, “Will? You up, love?”
Willow said, “Yeah, just making the bed.”
William opened the door and said, “You’re mom’s here, Will.”
Smiling she said, “Oh…okay. Come in mom.” Willow had folded the light blue bedspread over hers and William’s pillows and was sitting on the bed when her mom walked in.
William said, “Here.” He gave her a chair and Mallory thanked him and sat down.
William sat beside Willow and she got a curious look on her face. Willow said nervously, “Everything okay?”
Mallory looked from one to the other and finally at Willow. She said, “Everything is fine, Willow. I just have something to tell you. Remember when I told you about the guy I met when I was sixteen? Rory Parker?”
Willow nodded and smiled fondly saying, “Yeah…”
Mallory touched Willow’s hand and said, “Well…he’s your dad. You’re biological dad, Will.”
Surprised, Willow sat in silence for a minute. She felt William’s arm around her and leaning into it she said, “What happened?”
Mallory said, “I told you how I met him at sixteen…well a couple years later we saw each other again by chance. We got back together. It didn’t work out.”
Willow said bitterly, “He left you when you were pregnant?”
Mallory hated that her dad was going to look like such an asshole, but it was how it was. She nodded, then said, “It’s not your fault, Willow. He left because he wasn’t ready to be a dad. I met your dad, Eric, later that year…I was about six months along with you. I lived in a small town and they didn’t treat me very well. Eric and I fell in love with each other and we got married. I never heard what happened to Rory.”
Willow felt for her mom, for that shock and hurt and said, “I’m sorry, mom.”
Mallory said reassuringly, “Oh, don’t be sorry, Willow. I’m not. I have a beautiful daughter and a wonderful family. I’m telling you now because you have the right to know.” She looked at William and let that set. She wasn’t bringing him in it at all.
Nodding, Willow said, “Mom I appreciate you telling me…but as far as I’m concerned…my dad is Eric Rosenberg. The one who gave a damn about me being here.”
Mallory said, “That’s fine, Will. I just wanted you to know the truth. Rory is or was a warrior fighter. He fought battles just like you are doing.”
Willow didn't want to hear about that bastard!
William admitted, “Will, I had a dream a premonition that you would find out about your dad…I thought your mom should be the one to tell you.”
Willow was surprised, but she understood and said, “Thank you, William.” Hugging him she looked at her mom and said, “Why don’t we go downstairs and fix breakfast?”
Mallory smiled and said, “I like that idea.” She got busy helping Will and William with fixing a nice sized breakfast, feeling relieved for being honest and enjoying breakfast with her family.
William looked at Willow and they knew…despite what he said to Mallory to help ease her worries, it was possible this could go ugly – probable if Kushnor had his say…
July 18, 1999—At Giles’s, just before the fight…
4PM
The group of Scoobies were decked in fighting black, the ladies with their hair pulled up and out of their way. Willow stood opposite William, both sweaty from practice. Buffy stretched her muscles nearby. Xander and Anya were going over their parts, making sure the weapons were available and on taps.
Giles said, “Positions. Once more before battle.”
Xander and Anya sat on the floor, against the wall. Buffy and Giles proceeded to fight. Giles wasn’t just a watcher, he fought just as strong and efficient as Buffy. William and Willow watched for the moment. Giles argued with her and fought until she perfected the match and finished he said, “Good. Now, next couple.”
Buffy and Giles stepped out of the way, next to Xander and Anya, stretching and preparing last minute things.
Bracing, they fought this time with their bare hands. Willow went on her focus as a warrior, just like he did, and they warred with each other, even more powerfully than Giles and Buffy. Willow looked like she was going right at him! Then in the next minute, he was coming right back at her. They smacked each other, took punches, shoved, kicked, fought like if they were fighting demons. When it was done, he had his hand around her neck and she sent him over her shoulders, holding a saber at his throat.
Xander said, “Where’d that thing come from?” Anya said, “It was slipped in the back, under her jacket.” Giving her a freaky look, Xander said, “And you would know this…because?”
Anya said, “Well…” Xander said, “You aren’t going to come at me one day with one of them things are you? Because I’m telling you, if you do, we’re going to have to have a serious relationship talk.”
Anya said, “Xander, I’m not coming at you with a saber…or any weapons.” She snuggled next to him to prove it. He seemed to be fine when she said that. Deep down he knew she wouldn’t, that she probably got with Willow about it beforehand. He just liked to over-dramatize sometimes. He considered it part of his Xander-style.
Giles said, “Excellent. Well done.”
Willow smiled down at William, who grinned back at her and removing the saber she put it back in her back pocket. William moved up like he did that day, with Willow on his lap and took her mouth with his. She kissed him back. It was a sweet kiss that they broke because of the obvious, people around them. Then standing, William looked at Giles and said, “How much time do we have?”
Giles looked at his watch and said, “About an hour and a half. So if you all have things you’d like to do before the fight, I suggest you do it. We’re facing quite a battle…I suggest you all make this time special.”
William knew what he was saying. He nodded.
Xander and Anya took off shortly after this. Rick came and picked up Buffy and they left. Giles went out himself and William and Willow left in his convertible. They would all meet at the library at 6 sharp. For now, though this was their time….
William surprised Willow. Instead of taking her to the beach and making sweet love initially as she thought they would, he drove her to her parents place. Taking her hand in his, he walked her to her door and walked inside behind her.
Willow found her mom on the couch, reading a novel, her dad watching baseball in front of the TV. They both looked up when Willow and William walked in, taking in the pair dressed in black. Eric looked twice and said, “Will?”
Nodding, Willow said, “It’s me, dad. I’m just dressed differently. William brought me over so I could visit with you guys before the battle.” Willow knew her mother had told him about it and they had talked about it together weeks back. It wasn’t a subject that was liked, but he had accepted it.
Eric turned off the TV and looking at William, the man who had stolen his Willow’s heart. He smiled at his friend and shook his hand. “Hey William.”
William smiled at his friend and said, “Eric. Giles gave the okay for us to take off for a little while, so we came here.”
Nodding, Eric said, “Sounds good. We can go outside for awhile, I can show you my new toy. I’ve been wanting to anyway.” Willow smield and said, “You got that convertible, didn’t you dad?”
Eric grinned and said, “Would I do that?”
Grinning, Willow hugged her dad and watched as William’s butt the entire way out there. She grinned and her mother caught it. Mallory saw this, smiled a moment then said seriously, “You ready for tonight, Will?”
Willow looked at her mom and letting out an emphatically deep breath, she replied, “As ready as I’ll get…I’m just wanting to get in there and get it over with. We all are.”
Grinning she added, “The fact that I get to kick major ass tonight makes it fun though. William wants a piece of Kushnor…I’m kinda looking forward to seeing that.”
Mallory saw Rory in Willow tonight, the warrior desire to fight, the look in her blue eyes that was Rory’s looks often too. She was sure Willow was an excellent fighter. Rory was. It didn’t stop her from worrying about her, though. Walking to her, Mallory said, “Come with me, Willow.”
Nodding, Willow said, “Okay.”
Taking Willow to the storage room in back, Mallory said, “Stand there, honey.” She asked Willow to go to a spot that was out of the line of fire, in case one of the big boxes would fall from the shelves.
Finding the right box behind several, Mallory shut the storage room door and took it to the metal table that was put in here many years ago. Finding it sealed where she couldn’t get in, Mallory swore. Raising her eyebrows, Willow said, “Here.” She reached in her back pocket and drew out her saber. She had it sliced open in seconds.
Mallory rose her eyebrows in surprise.
Willow smiled and said easily, “It’s just a saber mom. I’ve carried it for a long time. William gave it to me, when we started fencing together.”
Mallory replied, “It’s very pretty, Willow.”
Willow smiled fondly, liking it, it was light blue and had diamond and emerald designs on it. She said, “Thanks mom.”
Mallory nodded and pulling down the box she said, “Now, Will, I’ll show you what I brought you in here for.”
Willow stood in her corner, watching anxiously for whatever lay inside.
Mallory opened the box and started taking out things belonging to Rory. She said sentimentally, “I believe these should go to you now.”
Willow walked up and was slowly handed object after object that belonged to Rory. Fighting weaponry of all kinds. Wiping a couple tears that fell, Mallory said, “William can show you how to use these things…I’m not too up on them. Here, put these on.” Handing her a pair of gloves that to Willow’s surprise actually fit. She said, “I have always had long fingers.”
Nodding, Mallory said, “Rory too.” Digging in the box, she pulled out a belt with a buckle on it that had a sign of a warrior on it. She said, “Good, you are wearing slacks with belt loops. Slide this on.”
Willow wiped the dust off and slid the belt around her slender hips. Buckling it in the front she said, “I nearly had to create a new hole. Well, mom, do I look okay for battle?”
Mallory said, “You look tough and strong, able to fight anyone that is an enemy.” Walking out into the other room with Willow and the weapons that Willow carried on her person, Mallory added concerned, “You are also my Willow.”
Willow smiled and said, “Mom…”
Mallory said heartfelt, “Please, for me, don’t be stubborn. Stick to William, do as he says at least through this fight.”
Willow put her arm around her mom’s shoulders and said, “I will, mom. I love you.”
Mallory kissed her and said, “I love you, Willow. Very much.”
Inside the garage, Eric and William looked at his new blue convertible and Eric showed off his stereo, speakers, and computerized setup that was cool.
William said, “Yours is fancier than mine.”
Eric grinned larger and said, “Yeah? That’s even better.”
William said sarcastically, “It would be. It just means I need to get mine upped to the technology of today. It’s a few years old.”
Eric grinned and said, “Or you could just trade it in for a better one.”
William said, “Nah, I like mine too much to do that. But I will get a better stereo system…I can’t have yours being better than mine.”
Eric laughed and said, “Yeah…”
Turning serious, he said, “Hey, William?”
William looked at his friend and said, “Hmmm?”
Eric said, “Watch her tonight. Watch Willow. I know you can’t tell me what it will be like going in there…”
William could give an idea but Eric would just panic and that wouldn’t be good. So he said, “I’ll keep an eye on her all night, Eric. I promise I will.”
Eric said, “Thank you. Take care of yourself too.”
William said, “I will. Nobody’s going to hurt Will or me without a hell of a fight first. So you can be sure I will be there and I will stand strong. That hasn’t left me and will be with me tonight, Eric. Plus we have a game to watch coming up and I’m not going to miss out on that.”
Eric grinned and said, “You’re right. You bringing the beer?”
William laughed and felt glad that he stopped by here with Will…
A little bit later at Eric and Mallory’s…
In the living room…
William took Willow’s hands in his and pulling her to him, he kissed her, then stood and held her for a moment in silence. Eric and Mallory had left them alone.
When they were alone, Willow said, “Mom showed me these things. I’m not sure how to use them…they belonged to Rory.” William looked them over and said with a grin, “Knuckle wrappers are nice if you’re decking someone. They add friction. Here.” Taking her right hand he slipped it on and tied it there. He continued, “These things are good too.” He showed her what each thing was and how to use it, just in time to note that it was quarter after five. They didn’t have much time left…
Looking into her eyes, holding her closely, William said, “Will? I know we’ve planned for this battle and we’re ready, but nothing’s guaranteed and we both know that. Love, it’s important to me that you know how much I love you.”
Willow held on to William and said, “I love you too, William. We’re going to walk out of this though. I know we are.”
Shaking out of the doubtful mood he was in, William looked into his wife’s pretty eyes, kissed her lips and held her close till it was time to leave.
Stepping out of the convertible at the library, Willow and William could both hear the destruction in the air. Willow said, “Kushnor?”
William said, “He’s here and he’s waiting on us to try and stop him. We’ve got to meet Giles, find out his stand on this.”
Agreeing, Willow put her arm around his waist and they walked in together.
Giles looked at the group as a whole minutes later and said, “This is it, gang. Be alert, no faltering, and stick together whenever possible. The more of us he has to fight at the harder it will be for him to win.”
William wasn’t sure about that. Kushnor was noted for not giving a damn about how few or many he had to go up against. He just pummeled them like a deck of cards. All he would say was, “Don’t underestimate this demon, any of you. I lived in his neighborhood long enough to know he isn’t nice. He’s sneaky, devious, and will cut any throat he thinks is in his way. He doesn’t take time to think about it. He just does it.” Seeing he had everyone’s eyes on him, William said, “I’m not trying to add more fear, just caution. Awareness. I don’t want any of you, including you, Will, going in their thinking this guy is negotiable. He’s ruthless.” Double-checking his weapons, seeing to it they were out of sight and checking Willow over, he said to Giles, “Ready whenever, Giles.”
Giles said, “Let’s go.”
The entire group left in a band of sorts, headed to the stadium, where apparently Kushnor had camped. Buffy in front with Giles, William and Willow not far behind, Anya and Xander to their right. The sky was green and sounds of commands could be heard from a block and a half away.
As they reached the outside of the stadium, Giles said, “Xander, Anya, you stay as far in the shadows as possible. You will be our backups with weapons.”
Nodding, Xander said, “Works for me.” Anya jabbed him and said, “Xander!” Then she turned to Giles and said, “Let us know where you’ll be and we’ll get them to you.”
Willow grinned at her best friend and hugging her she said, “Thanks, Anya.”
William said thank-you and started his search, with his eyes. Spotting the huddle up at the center of the stadium, he said, “He’s there. Along with all his assistants. Giles you sure you want me to take this strategy over?”
Nodding, Giles said, “After how serious you say this demon is and knowing of him, yeah. I think it should be you.”
Agreeing to himself, William said, “Okay.” Turning to the others one last time he said, “Slayer, you and Giles work out front, you are the thing they want the most. We’ll be behind you.”
Buffy may be stubborn and often a bitch, but when it came to this, she was focused. She nodded and said, “Fine. Keep an eye on Willow. She’s new at this.”
William nodded saying, “I intend to. Alright, let’s do this.” Turning to Willow he said, “Ready, Will?”
Focused herself, Willow looked up at him and said, “Ready.”
The setup given, they entered, with Buffy and Giles out front, fighting the soldiers at the gate. William and Willow came in behind and at the rear were Xander and Anya….
The commotion and battle happened before they knew it and the entire Scooby group were in the midst of it quickly. Unable to prevent it, they did separate, with the exception of William and Willow who remained close by where he could keep an eye on her. It became difficult at times to even do that, though when fierce soldiers came at him from every direction. William defeated the ones he got though, going on adrenaline.
Willow fought hard, besting the ones who came at her. She was sweaty and hot, everything around her a blur, or in a distant compartment in her mind, focusing entirely on what she was doing. She focused on fighting and let that lead her. It was how she was trained and she felt equipped.
Giles and Buffy fought at their spots, with Xander and Anya giving them back up weapons.
The stadium was large and full of demons and creatures big and small, all mean and full of venom, raring to see them killed. William and Willow fought straight through the masses to Kushnor himself. He took a look at the two and said with a grin, “Well, well, well. What brings you to this part of the world, Spike? I thought your home was England. I mean after you annihilated Europe that is.”
William said, “Well you know how it is, Kushnor, never stay in one place too long. It becomes old.”
Kushnor still thought he was a vampire, William thought. Good let him think it. He’d play the game and gladly finish him off when he didn’t expect it.
Kushnor said, “Don’t I know that.”
William said, “So why Sunnydale? I thought you had a hideout in England that you ran.”
Kushnor said with a flick of his wrist, “It grew tiresome to run. I wanted some excitement. You know about that, don’t you Spikey Boy. I mean why take out a handful of lives when you can go across the continent and wipe them all out? Europe still fears you, you know.”
William guessed as much. He would have to handle the feelings of regret later, though, along with Willow’s questions. Now, he stayed alert and said as he might once have as Spike, “What’s your plan?” He realized his slip then as no demon shared his plans with anyone, including another demon. Maybe especially another demon. It gave power over to him or her.
Kushnor’s attempt at friendliness faded and William braced himself more in front of Willow. He expected to die. Coming up this close to the bastard, he expected it. Kushnor saw the move he did with Willow and said, “Who is she?”
Willow wanted to deck this jerk, but stayed where she was.
William said, “She’s mine…and before you ask, no. I don’t share, not even with demon scum like you. Now what the hell are you waiting for?”
Kushnor said, “I could cut your throat for deceiving me and I will directly. But right now I’m curious. Just how did you regain your body and I’m guessing, your soul too? Did the good fairy come along and say poof you are cured?”
William glared and said, “I’m sure it eats at you and it should continue to as you burn in hell for eternity. That will be my satisfaction. Now raise your weapon before I just gut you where you sit.”
Kushnor rose and aimed his sword at William, giving a subtle clue to the demon follower at his right to go after Willow. Willow caught it however and braced herself for the attack. She fought and did him in.
William and Kushnor began to duel before time could take a breath. Willow fought the followers who tried to come at her and beat them all. William and Giles’s training helped her in case this would happen.
They met here at six and were still fighting at around nine. Willow felt she was fighting with smoke around them, framing her and her opponents. She didn’t look at William, she kept going.
He couldn’t look at her, his focus was on fighting Kushnor who still amazingly had remained a strong fighter. His cockiness made him weak in some regard, but when he battled with sword, William had to work to meet him. One look away and he’d be dead.
His cunning maneuvers were still in tact too as Kushnor took a blade from his left hand and scraped William across his stomach with it. It knocked William back for a minute, but he came right back, fighting. He drop kicked the blade out of his left hand and fought with the one in his hand against Kushnor’s.
Getting him again with a cut to his arm, Kushnor said, “It’s just a matter of time before you fall, Spike…or whoever the hell you are. Why keep this up?”
William said, “Because you don’t get to just come here and destroy Sunnydale without being attacked, that’s why. Now shut the hell up and fight!”
William took one strong swing with his right arm when Kushnor hesitated to look at Willow and severed his head. Kushnor fell back and was dead in seconds. William looked over for Willow, he called for her…but she wasn’t there.
He fought and continued to fight his way until he found her, being held by one demon, while another took scrapes at her with his blade.
William stood where he was and taking out his cross bow, he got the one holding Willow, sending him to the ground in a rumple. Then turning to the other who glared at him now, he aimed at him. Just in time for him to grab Willow and hold her up against him.
She tried to fight back but he held her hair and was pulling, had a blade to her neck. William moved in slowly and said, “Willow, don’t move.” He looked at the blue demon and said, “Fight me…let her go!”
Feeling her up, he said perversely, “But I like her too much to do that. You can fuck her when I’m done, when she’s dead!” He laughed.
His smile was gone however when the bullet pierced him in the forehead, sending him to the ground. Willow held her neck, finding she wasn’t cut too badly, just scratched.
Willow walked to William and they hugged for a second, a very brief second in this mess. William stood and hollered over the crowd, “Hey, guess what you bandits. Your master is dead! Now if you want to keep fighting us, fine. Otherwise…”
A few right arms attempted it…and found themselves killed. The others packed up and headed out. No one to lead meant no one to tell them what to do, to support their sorry butts. They left.
Willow said on a giggle, “I can’t believe you did that!”
Another voice said, “I can. He’s always been hell on wheels.”
William looked through the smoke and said, “Rory?”
Rory walked through the managerie and taking William in he said, “Spi…?”
Shaking his head, William said, “Not anymore. The powers gave me back my life. I’m William again.”
Surprised, Rory shook his head and said, “I guess you’d have to be human to bleed like that and not be worried about losing too much. How are you?”
William said, “I’m here.” Looking at Willow, he said, “Better now that this mess is over and that I have Willow. You alright, Will?” Willow walked over to him, nodded her head saying she was, and put her arm around his waist. Like him or not and she didn’t, Willow took in the man named Rory, her biological dad. She was shocked and looking at the weapons she held, the belt, she said dryly, “I…I guess you’ll want these things back. They’re yours.”
Rory glanced at what she was talking about and let that pass for the moment. His interest was in taking in the young girl with red hair that held a similar resemblance to him and said, “You’re…Mallory’s?”
William said, “Will you going to be okay?”
Willow nodded and said, “Yeah.”
Hugging her and kissing her he said, “Good. I’m going to go find the others then. Make sure they’re alright. I’ll see you later. Rory…we’ll have a visit when this is over.”
Nodding, Rory said with a smile for his friend, “We will.”
Rory looked at Willow and said, “Will?”
Willow said flatly, “Willow. I was named Willow. Only certain people…call me Will.”
Rory said, “Willow is a pretty name. Your mother loved willows. In fact our first date was under a willow tree.”
Willow said, “She didn’t tell me that.” She told me enough that I despise you, Willow thought bitterly.
Rory walked closer and said, “How old are you, Willow?”
Willow’s anger tripled and she was hurt too. She replied, “I guess it wasn’t that special to remember my age. I’m eighteen…I’ll be nineteen day after tomorrow.” Willow wanted to leave.
Knowing that Willow had just gotten through a hellish battle and figuring this wasn’t the time, Rory said, “You’re dating Spike…or William. That’s going to take me awhile.”
Willow stood firm and said, “No. I’m not dating him. I’m his wife. My mom and my real dad were there, the ones that really gave a care about me, who actually stuck around and raised me.”
Resentment, Rory met it and knew he had to expect it. She was going to feel that way. He said, “I deserve that. Sometime we’ll have to sit and talk, Willow.”
Willow was too upset over this introduction and knowing what she did to listen tonight. Right then she was angry and didn’t think he deserved to talk to her. She said frustrated, “Why is that? You ditched my mother and left us both. I don’t want to talk to you Rory. I just don’t…”
Rory nodded and figuring that was his answer, she wanted nothing to do with him, he nodded and said, “It’s okay. I won’t push you to.” Willow looked down and didn’t say anything. She was too upset to.
Rory felt guilt and regret. He said low like a dog, “Goodnight, Willow.” Rory started to walk away.
Willow asked painfully, “Did I never matter?” He whipped around at this with emotion clear in his blue eyes. Eyes that matched hers.
Rory replied, “Willow…”
Willow said, “I know what it’s like to love someone enough to make love with them. I’m not that naïve. Not anymore. But I’m telling you now, as careful as we are, if I found myself pregnant, I know in my heart that William would not leave me. He would stick around and he’d be a great dad…” she said through tears, “He wouldn’t take off for eighteen years, never bothering to call my child or…or ask how…he or she was doing.
Rory, I didn’t live that far that you couldn’t do that.” Nowhere was that far when it was a child, Willow thought, feeling very hurt that he didn’t bother.
Rory said, “No, you didn’t…I was young and I was intimidated by it all. It wasn’t you, Willow. It was the pregnancy in general. I panicked. After I got older, guilt set in and I felt…I felt that I didn’t deserve to know how you were. I’d cheated that when I left.”
Willow just wanted out of there. She said through tears, “Maybe we can talk later, Rory… Tonight…it just isn’t good…for either of us.”
Rory saw the tears and knew there was nothing he could do about htat either. He’d fucked up and what he did to Mallory and to Willow. It was horrible and he hated himself for years over it. Feeling like hell, Rory nodded and said lowly, “Well how about next Friday?”
Willow looked up at him and nodding, she replied painfully, “Okay.”
Rory smiled a little and said, “Okay. The Bronze at around seven?”
Nodding, Willow agreed and watched as he left. Wiping tears she saw William coming to her out of the corner of her eye. He was injured. Willow walked over to him, meeting him through the smoke. He looked in her eyes, seeing the pain there and took her into his arms, holding her. Willow was unable to stop it. She broke into fresh tears….
Later, when all the Scoobies were accountable, and the fight was over, William and Willow took off in his convertible, for his place. It was long after twelve. Willow had called and told her mom that the fight was over and that they had made it. William was cut up pretty badly, and that she figured she’d stay up tonight to watch and make sure he was okay.
William pulled his convertible to a stop outside his place. He looked at Willow and said, “Well we survived it.”
Looking at him with concern, Willow said, “Just…from how you got it.”
William said, “Will, I’m fine. I’ve taken worse before.”
Willow said, “Still…I want to get a look and see…if maybe we can clean it up. Are you sure…that the bleeding has stopped?”
William said with a grin, “Willow…”He climbed out and so did she. He was hurt, but William felt he had control of it. He didn’t notice how he staggered a little. Willow did.
Reaching out she helped him and unlocked the door. Walking inside with him, she said, “The kitchen. Come on.” She held him with an arm around his waist. He said, “Will, honey, I’m fine…”
Willow said, “Yeah…that’s why you’re bleeding on my hand.”
William felt Willow pushing down on his cut arm. The wound was open and it, hurt like hell. Trying to fight that and appear strong was useless. A strong stab to his arm from the cut and William said, “Fuck.” Willow looked at him aggravated now and said, “Uh-huh. Just fine my behind. Sit, in the chair.”
He obeyed and she hurried in the kitchen, finding a wash cloth and antiseptics. They were harder to find, but she did. Meanwhile, William carefully took off his leather jacket, biting curses. He’d had worse, but it had been awhile since encountering a battle like this.
Looking at his shirt, what was left of it, William took his hands and just tore it off. His comment was, “He got me a couple times, I guess.” He had a pretty bad cut on his stomach that had for the most part stopped bleeding—for the most part. It still showed blood flowing even if it was small. The top part of his arm was cut and bleeding pretty bad.
Willow walked back with a cool expression in her blue eyes, just like in battle William thought. Knowing Willow as he did he knew deep down it was concern, so he said, “Will…calm down. I’m a warrior, just like you. We heal quickly. Don’t believe that, ask Buffy.”
Willow nearly told him to doctor himself! He wasn’t all right, he was hurt. Going to him, Willow pulled a chair and sitting on it, she took the wash cloth and began on his arm, wiping off blood and pouring the only antiseptic he had on him—rubbing alcohol. She met the look in his eyes with her own. It hurt like hell, but he didn’t scream or make any noises aside from gritting his teeth. Looking for a something to hold down pressure on his arm, she found his torn shirt on the table and grabbing it, she folded it several times so it was solid like a surgical bandage—she hoped anyway. Wrapping it over his arm a couple times, she tied it tightly, placing a knot at the top.
Moving to his stomach she wiped the blood and did the same thing there saying, “I wish we had some tape.”
William said breathy, “Second…drawer, to the left of…the sink.”
Hearing his voice, Willow said worriedly, “William, stay with me. Don’t pass out.”
William gritted his teeth wishing that he felt better but knowing that was a long way from now. He heard Will’s great fear in her voice, so he said slowly, “I’m with you love…just tired and sore…”
Finding the thick white tape, Willow brought it over and taped more of his shirt to it, wrapping the tape around and around until it held it firmly. She used some of the tape on his arm too to seal it.
Looking at his face he didn’t look pale, just tired. The battle was exhausting. Feeling his forehead he wasn’t feverish. So Willow relaxed. She moved in and kissed him on the lips, and carefully moved him to his kitchen floor. She joked lightly where he couldn’t hear, “You’re gonna wish I had brought my sleeping bag when you wake up.”
Going to his bedroom, she grabbed a blanket and pillow and brought them to him, setting him up for awhile. When he was out, she walked to the living room and picked up the telephone.
Mom answered on the second ring. Willow said, “Mom? This is Willow.”
Mallory sat on the couch, Eric on the chair beside her and she mouthed, “It’s Willow.”
She smiled into the phone and said, “Willow…how is he? How are you?”
Willow looked toward the kitchen and said, “I’m fine…I have a few scrapes here and there, but I’ll heal. So will he…but he’s gonna be sore for a couple days I think. Warrior or not. I doctored him up…he’s asleep on his kitchen floor.”
Relieved Mallory said, “I’m glad you guys are okay then. I sat up waiting to hear, worried about you both.”
Willow said, “Yeah, I figured you would be.”
Mallory smiled and said, “You have company coming, Willow.”
Willow smiled, hoping it was grandma, and said, “Really? Who?”
Mallory knew this was going to suck for her, but she said honestly, “You’re Aunt Renae.”
Willow said, “Damn it. That’s all I need.”
Surprised, Mallory said, “Willow! She loves you.”
Willow said, “Well, mom, she’s a nosy thing, she tries to get into all your personal stuff. Last year when she was here she actually went into my bedroom to see if I had…signs as she put it of a boyfriend. Imagine what she’ll try and dig up now, now that I’m married.” Hearing her mother’s laugh, Willow said, “I guess I’m just too private for that. Something else he and I share. So if you don’t see me on my birthday, I’ll be at home.”
Mallory heard Willow’s laugh and said, “Oh you’ll be here. There’s no way I’m visiting with her alone. She’s family…and honey you’re stuck with her.”
Willow grimaced, “Fine. I’ll be there for my birthday…but you have to keep her from getting too nosy.”
Mallory said, “I’ll try. Now let me off so I can bring your…artifacts…shall we say over?”
Willow said, “One more thing. I wondered this before but, since birthday parties are usually all night, is it going to be a problem…if William and I…if we share my room? I don’t want to do anything that would disrespect you or dad…neither would William.”
Smiling, Mallory said, “I appreciate you respecting us, Willow. But you guys are married now. Of course you will share a room.”
Willow smiled and said, “Okay…good. I just wanted to be sure.”
Mallory took a drink of her Pepsi and said, “It will be fine, Will.”
Willow said, “I better go…William may wake up soon.”
Nodding, Mallory said, “Alright, well you have a good night, Will. I love you.”
Willow replied, “You love you too and you too. Tell dad I love him.” Mallory said she would and they hung up.
Willow took a walk into the kitchen and watched as William slept. Leaning down onto her knees she brushed some of his hair out of his eyes and whispered, “I love you so much, William. Macho man and all.”
She was there when he awoke and watched as he tried to sit up. Proving he was a warrior, William sat up remarkably well, for his injuries. Turning to Willow, he smiled and said, “How long was I out?”
Willow said, “About a half an hour.”
William smiled and said, “Ah…” He moved to his feet in a way that had Willow shocked. He barely held his stomach, so either he was fighting it for show or he really did heal well.
Walking to Willow he said, “We survived.”
Smiling and feeling his arms going around her waist, she said, “I know…” She wrapped her arms around his waist and they held one another, thankful to be alive….
Willow sat at the dining room table, at home, dreading the meeting she agreed to the night of the battle. She had agreed to meet Rory Parker, her biological dad she just met at last Saturday night at the Bronze tonight to talk—of all things! She had agreed basically to end the moment, end talking with him. Willow could understand him being scared of fatherhood when he found out, but to walk away from everything he had with Mallory, her mother? To toss her aside too because he wasn’t ready…Willow couldn’t understand that. She guessed he must not have loved her like she loved him. This didn’t leave a good feeling in Willow of how she had been conceived. Was there real love or just…desire? It mattered to Willow, she realized, because she was going to listen to his story. She was walking into that past, so she wanted to know what was behind their love. Was it anything she wanted to hear, though? Willow wasn’t sure about that. Nothing seemed definite, except that she had agreed to meet Rory at the Bronze at seven. So in a few minutes she would leave and ride her bike over. Like it or not, Willow thought with a sullen sigh.
If she could get out of this, she would!
Since she couldn't she tried to think of William and how supportive he was over this meeting and how they would be together when she got home tonight...
Dressed in slacks and a black tank top that framed her just enough to be attractive, Willow stood and looking in the mirror in the dining room, she picked up her hair and twisted it, pinned it and took a look. Frowning at herself, she let the pins out and watched it fall to near her waist. Deciding to pick that style, she grabbed her black boots and using the dining room chair she hoisted her foot into one, tying it, then while working on the other one, she heard the phone ring. William brought it in and said, "It's your mom, Will." Willow smiled and said, "Okay thanks." She kissed William and took the phone, "Hi mom."
While working on her shoe and listening to mom gab, Willow debated telling her mom where she was going. Then realizing she didn’t want anymore secrets or lies between them, she said, “He’s not taking me to the movies tonight, mom. I’m coming home after…” Her boot tied she heard her mom say, “After…?”
Willow turned and facing William who was eating out of a grab bag of Doritos, she let out a deep breath. Worried about how her mom would react to this, with her own past and pain that was totally justified, Willow thought, but knowing she had to say now, Willow said, “I’m meeting Rory tonight.” Catching her mom’s surprise on the phone, Willow walked to the chair she had used to put her shoes on and sat. Willow continued quietly “He showed at the Battle last Saturday.”
Mallory was speechless for a long moment and stopped grabbing handfuls of peanuts from the jar.
Finally, finding words again, she said, “I should have known he’d be at the battle.”
Willow saw her mom’s emotions in her eyes and said, “Mom…he approached me. I didn’t go looking to find him…trust me.” She added in disgust. “And I have no intentions of this being a pleasant visit either. Right now I’m pretty upset. This isn’t going to be a Leave it to Beaver Let’s Talk family meeting, in any way.”
Looking at her watch, Willow added, “Speaking of which, I’m running late. I’ll be home…” gauging time, she guessed, “I can’t say how late I’ll be. But I'll call you right after I get home."
Nodding, Mallory said, “Fine. Be careful, Willow. It’s a Friday night.”
Willow smiled and replied, “I’ll be careful. Who knows? I might get the fine opportunity to drop kick the jerk before the night is over. Now that would be worth it all.”
Mallory said, “I’m not going to tell you what to do, Willow…if you want to drop kick him, I guess that is your business. Just make sure you don’t wind up in jail over it. I don’t want any calls.” Had she just told her it was okay to drop kick her dad? Not sure, but going through too much turmoil in her mind and her heart, she shook her head, watching as Willow said with a sly grin, “Nope. No calls will be necessary. I’m not a little girl. He gets to face me as a warrior princess now.”
Grinning widely over this, Mallory said intrigued, “Warrior Princess?”
Willow blushed knowing where that came from and knowing she had stuck her foot in it, Willow conceded honestly, “William…he says I look like a warrior princess.” Grinning she added, “He had the nerve to tell me I had a temper. The gall.”
Mallory said, “Well….”
Showing feigned surprise, Willow said, “Hey! You’re my mom. You’re supposed to tell me I don’t.”
Mallory smiled and said, “Sorry, Will, I can’t lie like that. Bye, Willow.”
Grinning, Willow said, “Bye, mom.”
Willow opened the front door with her purse on her hip and stepped outside.
Mallory went to the couch at her house and sat, thinking to herself, Rory…what the hell are you doing back in town? You better not hurt Willow… She’d go for blood if he did that, Mallory thought strongly.
Stepping outside the house, Willow started to go for her bike, then changed her mind. She wouldn’t go at Rory like that. She was going to walk down to the Bronze…it wasn’t that far anyway. And it made her feel she was level with him. So on foot, she headed toward the club….
Walking into the Bronze, ten minutes later, Willow saw it was already packed. Jogging down the stairs, into the club, with confidence, Willow started looking… It took her a few minutes, but she finally found him, sitting at a table cattycorner from where she stood. Taking a deep breath, letting it out, she moved his direction.
Rory Parker sat in his blue jeans and red T-Shirt, his brown leather jacket. His dark brown hair was longish, it nearly brushed his shoulders. His eyes were fixed on his drink. Tipping up his Dew he took another drink as he watched his daughter walk into the club. She was like Mallory at seventeen. Her hair was longer, but her figure was the same. The coolness in her blue eyes as she scanned the room told Rory that she was not looking forward to this meeting. That was fine too, he thought, but both needed a resolution. She had a right to know. If she chose to hate him after well then he guessed he would accept it. But he was going to tell her the truth. And he needed to talk to her, find out who she was, even if he didn’t feel he deserved it.
Willow walked up to his table, unsure what to say. She went with the only thing she could think of, dry, as it had to sound, “Hello, Rory.”
Rory didn’t bother to smile, he simply said, “Willow…have a seat.”
Willow did so and dropped her purse at her feet.
There was a silence for a few minutes. Then Rory said, “Willow we need to talk and since you are my date for the night, I’ll let you do the talking first.” He smiled and Willow guessed if she had felt anything for him except animosity and hurt feelings, she might have felt…happy seeing it—again she felt cheated out of knowing even the simple things about Rory Parker. He cheated her out of it, she thought with pain in her heart.
Willow focused like she would in battle, channeling coolness in her eyes and in her drive as she said, “You don’t want me to do that.”
Rory gathered from the look in her eyes—eyes that he felt pride knowing matched his so well and could hold the same fire in them when she was upset—he gathered that she was not being light about that. Shrugging he said, “I’ve heard a lot of things in my life, Willow. Whatever you have to say…say it.”
Willow thought he asked for it and decided that she actually did want to do this. So she looked at him and said, “Fine. For the past week I have wondered how you could do what you did. I can’t say I understand how it feels to find something like that out. I don’t know how it feels. Right now, though, I don’t want to find out how you could, I think if I did I wouldn’t be able to sit here.”
Rory said, “Okay, then we won’t discuss it, Willow.”
Willow nodded and being careful with how she spoke she said painfully, “Since I can’t ask about my mother and your relationship…it’s too upsetting, I am going to talk about me.”
Rory smiled and said, “Good. I want to hear about you, Willow.”
Willow smiled a little there and he saw Mallory. It hit him and he felt the regret, looking away for a minute. Returning his gaze to hers he said, “Go on.”
Willow caught the look and actually felt bad for him. Regrets were terrible things, but everyone seemed to have them about something. She was glad that so far hers were minimal. Willow started freer now that she saw he did have some feelings inside him for her mother…maybe her, “I’ve always been pretty good at school. I’m not bragging, just telling the truth. I enjoy science best because I get to experiment with projects, figure out if this works better than something else. Sounds brainy to a lot of people, but I like it.”
Intrigued, Rory said, “It doesn’t sound brainy to me. Just sounds like you enjoy learning. That’s wonderful, Willow. I’ll bet you’re an honor student.”
Willow said with a smile, “Yeah, I was. I start SU in the fall, majoring in Science. I love it. Others in school didn’t like my drive in school. I didn’t have a lot of friends growing up, because of it.”
Rory said, “Did it change you or stop you from doing what you enjoyed?”
Catching the dare, Willow said proudly, “Nope. Not at all. In fact I played around with some at the school during the summer, when I wasn’t busy. Just to see them and the lab. It’s probably nerdy, but I loved being around the room and seeing all the experiments, despite the fact that I graduated in May. I start my freshmen year in a month and I already picture getting my hands on a microscope.” Blushing she said, “But I’ve always been more a brainy scholar than a glamour girl.”
Rory said, “There’s nothing wrong with that. You’ll go further in life with your mind than with what TV tries to advertise.”
Willow thought how William liked her mind and what she had to say. And was always telling her how interested he was in her experiments. Being careful, Willow said, “Yeah…well. So tell me about you.” Grinning she added, “Just how did you become friends with a vampire?”
Willow spent the next hour talking with Rory. She was very cautious in the beginning, but over time, she lightened up some. She had spoken very little about her relationship with William, leaving that a private matter. But she had learned about his friendship. It went back a long ways, when William was Spike. Willow learned about Rory too. Enough that she left the Bronze troubled. She couldn’t hate him…she felt connected to him, not just as a friend to talk to, but as his warrior daughter….
Leaving the Bronze together, Willow said, “I have to go…but it was nice…talking.”
Rory smiled and said, “It was. I’ll be in town awhile longer, so we’ll meet again.”
Nodding, Willow said, “I’d like that.” Starting on her walk, she heard him say, “You live that way? I could take you home.”
Willow strangely looked at him and felt she was looking at a second dad and yet a stranger that she didn’t know well enough to ride somewhere with as she said, “I…appreciate the offer…but you don’t have to…”
Rory got her meaning, she didn’t know him that well, he was a stranger. He replied, “Come on. I’ll take you wherever you’re wanting to go. I’ll get you home, Will, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m your…”
Looking up at his eyes, refusing to hear him say he was her dad, she said, “Okay…”
On the drive, in Rory’s black Mustang, Willow said practically nothing. Rory finally asked, “What’s wrong?”
Willow said, “It’s just…a little weird…you driving me home…to mine and William’s…”
Rory replied honestly, “You mean when I don’t hardly know you?”
Willow nodded and said, “Yeah…”
Rory looked forward, and said, “Well, that’s my fault. It’s not yours, Willow. So don’t feel bad…just let me know where yours and Spike’s place is and I’ll drop you off.”
Willow gave him a long look, then shook her head knowing that he might always see him as Spike because he was friends with him as such, and said, “Keep driving. When you run into condos you’ve found him.”
When they got there, Rory said, “He’s moved up.”
Willow pointed out his place and as Rory parked she said, “Thanks, Rory.” Grabbing her purse she put it over her shoulder and started out of the car. Rory said, “No problem. Night, Willow.”
The reality of being gone from her life for nineteen years hit bad when Rory saw her unlock and open her front door to hers and William’s house. She was a married woman and he never got to see her reach that point. He’d lost a lot…
As Willow was letting herself into William’s for the night, Rory drove through Sunnydale. He kept going until he saw her. Mallory was out for a night walk, by herself. She hadn’t seen him…until he pulled up beside her and opening the door said, “Hey, Mallory.”
Mallory stood shocked, then unable to prevent it, she smiled and said, “Rory Parker.”
He said, “We need to talk. Climb in.”
Shrugging her shoulders, still shocked that he bothered to show up and was wondering what was up his sleeve, Mallory stepped into the car and shut the door. Turning to Rory, she said, “So what have you been up to?”
Rory said, “I just got back from dropping Willow off…” shaking his head he said, “At Spike’s.”
Nodding and feeling an inner smile, Mallory said, “I’ll bet that was interesting.”
Rory said, “Interesting? The worst part was I watched as she took a key out of her purse and unlocked his front door. I can’t believe she’s married.”
Taking in a breath and letting it out, Mallory said, “I know. It was hard to see her grow up, to graduate high school and then get married.”
Rory gushed out, “To Spike! Reckless and wild, not to mention risky when he chose to be.”
Mallory grinned over at him and said, “Are we talking about Spike…or you?”
Rory laughed and said, “Touché. My recklessness and riskiness caused you to be hurt…that among other things.”
Mallory replied, “Oh I remember a girl who liked your recklessness, Rory.”
Rory said with a downward look of regret, “That’s not what I meant.”
Mallory saw the pain that was in his eyes, that he tried to hide, and said, “I know what you meant. Rory I was every bit as reckless as you…maybe more, because I thought I was invincible. I thought I was something special, I was naive.” Grinning shocked at herself, at the person she was then, Mallory said, “I was intellectually smart but stupid when it came to sex. I thought that by drawing out at the right moment nothing would happen to me.”
Rory grinned as he remembered those days himself and said, “Yeah well so did I. So I guess we were both naïve…and pretty stupid.”
Mallory said, “We were young. Very young. I remember the night Willow was conceived. Do you?”
He had too. He hadn’t forgotten that night and never would, Rory thought.
Rory put his arm around her shoulders as a friend and said, “I remember, very well. It was after the victory battle with the Phase Demons.”
Mallory turned to face him and said, “Yeah. You took me to the falls and on the banks made sweet love to me, because we had survived. I knew I was taking a risk, but I loved you, and I didn’t care. So I took all of you. It was the first time I…well we don’t have to go into that.”
Rory knew what she was saying and said intently with a smile coming through, “Since I was there that night and I know what you’re talking about, I don’t see why you can’t be honest.”
Mallory nodded and said, “True. It was a very special night for me. It was reckless, risky and all of that but I don’t regret it at all. Now we have a feisty red-headed nineteen year old who is as much you as she is me, right down to being a warrior fighter.”
Rory said, “Really?”
Mallory rose her eyebrows and said, “She didn’t tell you tonight? She is. She and William fought side by side in the battle you dropped in on, last Saturday.” She added at his look, “Willow tells me everything. We’re very close.”
Rory smiled as he replied, “I’m glad.” Remembering the battle Saturday, he recalled her stabbing some demons before she was grabbed and held by that bastard. He smiled, feeling proud.
Rory said, “Well I should get you back. I just wanted to vent I guess. Comes from watching my married daughter walking into her condo on the beach. Married to my best friend. I’ll face it, I just had to get the initial what the fuck out of the way first.”
Laughing, Mallory said, “You will. It is good seeing you, Rory. “
Rory parked in front of her house and said, “You too. Mallory?”
Mallory looked in the car and said, “What?”
Rory said, “I didn’t leave because I was a coward, not really. I left because…I couldn’t see marrying you, you being pregnant, while I was a leader in a group of fighters, never knowing if I was going to live or die. It was too much a part of who I was…it still is. I was scared of being a dad, but that wasn’t all of it. I don’t know if it helps or not, but I thought you should know that. I did love you, Mallory.”
Nodding, Mallory said emotionally now, “I loved you too, Rory. You…you were my first boyfriend. I think that is what has bothered me all these years, thinking I gave myself to someone who I didn’t think loved me back. I know differently now. Thank you.”
Eyeing her painstakingly, Rory said, “I’m sorry, Mallory…I can’t take it back and I hate that.” He looked the other direction to keep from showing how sorry he really was. Mallory looked in at Rory in his car and said, “Rory…” He said dismally, “I’m to blame for this…” On instinct, Mallory opened the passenger door, climbed in and closed the door and said, “We’re not done talking yet.”
Rory started to drive and took Mallory back to the place they were before…
When Rory parked he asked, “Won’t Eric get concerned about you?”
Mallory said, “Eric is out on a seminar in Palm Springs, Florida. He won’t be back until tomorrow. Even if he was home, he wouldn’t tell me what to do.”
Rory said, “This isn’t necessary, Mal. I should have just stayed on the topic of Willow. It was safer.”
Mallory turned and said, “Talk to me.”
Rory sat up and looking her in the eyes he said honestly, “When I came to Sunnydale it was to fight. I had learned about the battle and worked to prepare for it and came in with my men and we fought it. Same as always. Then I saw a demon holding up a girl who looked young and vulnerable and I…I thought of you. If I had chosen the life I wanted, Mallory, it would have involved you. We would have raised Willow together. But every time we went into battle, I’d worry that you were being accosted or threatened…it wouldn’t have been good.”
Swallowing that, Mallory said, “Fine. I understand you were thinking of me and Willow. That justifies what happened to a degree nineteen years ago. Something else is behind this. What is it?”
Rory said, “Willow looked at me at the fight and asked, ‘Did I never matter.’ She sees me as someone who took advantage of you and then abandoned you when you were vulnerable.” Listening to his own words he said rawly, “Which maybe to a degree I did. I can’t change it, I wish I could. The thing that eats at me now most of all is my regret of not being there as Willow grew up. It was my fault, I could have done what she said. I could have called or visited, but I didn’t feel I had the right.” Smiling fondly he said, “I got a glimpse tonight from talking with her. She’s you, Mallory, intelligent, beautiful, about to start college, and she is married to my best friend. I’m going to sound even more like your dad when I say that he isn’t good enough for her. No man is.”
Mallory smiled and said, “That’s normal. I’ve thought it too. She was my Willow for eighteen years. I didn’t want to imagine her sleeping with someone—falling in love with him--especially Spike, knowing about his past. He and I weren’t exactly buddies. Just acquaintances. But I know she loves him and he loves her. He does, Rory.”
Nodding, Rory said, “I hope so. For his sake.”
Laughing, Mallory said, “Rory! Would you stake him out and fight him over her?”
Rory looked her in the eyes and said, “You damn right I would. She’s my kid. I might have missed nineteen years…” he said with obvious pain in his voice and said, “but I’m hoping I don’t have to miss the rest of her life. And if she is hurt by him, he’ll wish he was never born.”
Hugging him, Mallory said, “Take me back to the house. We can visit.”
Rory did and together they walked inside. Going to the kitchen, Mallory said, “Have a seat. I was getting ready to fix me some dinner when Willow took off for the Bronze. It’s TV dinners. Mind?”
Shaking his head, Rory said, “I don’t mind.” Grinning, Rory said, “So let’s talk some more about this relationship between Willow and…Mallory I can’t do it, not now…Willow and Spike.”
Mallory said with a shared grin, “I know…it’s taken me awhile too. As to Willow and Spike, that has been challenging. She’s changed so much in the past year, Rory, since being with him. But it’s a good change and William is a wonderful husband to her and I’m happy that they are together. I wasn’t sure when I first knew about it, but I know now. They are good together, Rory.”
Rory said, “That’s good. They looked happy at the battle.”
Mallory said, “Yeah. So…you just passing through since the battle is over?”
Rory shook his head and said, “I’m thinking of moving to Sunnydale or close by anyway. I’ve missed out on too much. I’m going to try and talk with Willow again. These things though that you’ve shared about William…they will stay with me. I’m not going to bring them up to her.”
Mallory said, “I appreciate that.”
Two nights later…
In an alley on the way home…
Willow had stopped by her mom and dad’s and then decided to walk home, well on the way she was stopped by instinct. Five vamps jumped out at her. The current one fighting at this point was challenging, but she was amazingly fighting him right back with weapons! In seconds she dusted him and looked around for others.
Rory said, “They’re gone. You got the last, I think.”
Surprised, Willow said, “Rory? What…what are you doing…here?”
Rory said honestly, “Instinct, the same I think that was in you, by looking at all this dust. How long have you been training?”
Shrugging, Willow said, “A few months. I’ve been fighting since October.”
Why October? That must have been when they met, Rory thought. But focusing here, he asked, “How many were there?”
Willow kept the same passive look when she said, “Five, I think. I was on my way home, I told William I’d walk this time.”
Rory said a bit protectively, “He let you walk alone in the dark?”
Willow gave him a haughty look as she walked out of the alley saying, “Don’t go there, Rory.”
They continued this debate as Willow opened her front door. Rory said, “He let you walk home knowing this was a bad night for vamps and demons to come out?”
Willow turned to him and said, “Yes! Because William is not a chauvinistic jerk! That’s why. He knows I can handle whatever I come up against. Unlike some people who choose to think I am twelve!”
Rory said flatly, “I never said you were twelve, Willow. Or that you couldn’t handle yourself. But anything could have happened and he should have taken you home, or walked you home to help fight. Five vampires against one girl…” catching her loathsome look he amended, “Okay, one warrior. It still is risky.”
Willow said, “And I knew the risks when I left home earlier to visit my mom and dad. I’m not a little girl, Rory. You missed out on that. So now you get to face me as I am today. I will not be talked down to like one of your cronies. I am going to bed. You can show yourself out.”
Rory spat back, “I sure can. Night Willow.” Willow shouted, “Go to hell, Rory.” She stormed into her room and slammed the door.
As he stood there he said, “Cronies? Where did that come from?” He couldn’t’ help it…he began to laugh, though where she couldn’t hear him. Driving back to the hotel, he couldn’t stop the laughter. She was just like him!
Thinking of Mallory he decided to stop by. He’d risk Eric being home. Rory learned from Mall that Eric was still at his seminar. She’d invited him inside where they visited for awhile…
Seeing Mallory walk into the living room with a grin on her face, Rory said, “She’s home. Mad at me, but she’s home. I am going to show myself out now.” He grinned and caught hers.
Mallory said, “I’ll walk you out.” She opened the door and walked to his car with him, saying, “I appreciate you going after her. Sorry she was so ungrateful.”
Rory said, “She wasn’t ungrateful, Mallory. She was nineteen. I’ve been there. So have you.”
Nodding, Mallory said, “I sure have. If this doesn’t sound flirty…and I hope it doesn’t…where are you staying?”
Rory said, “It doesn’t sound flirty, Mall. It sounds like you’re asking an old, friend where he’s staying. I’m staying at the Regional Motel on Rawling Drive.”
Mallory said, “They have nice rooms, I’m told. Well goodnight, Rory. Thanks again.” Turning back she said, “I see you as my friend too.”
He smiled and drove away.
Picking up the phone, Mallory called Willow and filled her in on Rory and what
had taken place, his visit tonight.
Mallory asked straight-forwardly, “You don’t like him, do you?”
Willow said, “I don’t know. I mean he’s a nice guy, for the most part. When he isn’t seeking me out in alleys and telling me how my husband should treat me. Like he of all people could say. Look at the mess he did with you.”
Mallory said, “That’s enough, Willow.”
Willow heard the firm sound of her mother’s voice and said, “Mom?”
Mallory got comfy on the couch and sitting she said into the white receiver, “I’m sorry, Willow if I made you think that Rory used me.”
Willow said, “He did use you, mom.”
Shaking her head, Mallory said, “No, he didn’t. I dated Rory for going on two years, Willow. He was every bit the gentleman that you say William is. He flirted with me and tried to get into my pants. But he never did anything that I was not receptive to. That I didn’t want. I gave him my virginity with the same love that you gave yours to William. It didn’t work out. Some relationships for whatever reason, just don’t.”
Willow said, “He still left you, pregnant and alone, mom.”
Mallory replied, “Let me tell you about how that happened.” She told Willow the story, her side as well as his. When she was done, Willow said sadly, “So he regrets not knowing me? I’ve been so hateful to him at times. Afraid to open up.”
Mallory said, “I was wrong, Willow. I thought he didn’t care about me, but I was wrong, he did. And he loves you. He knows you are married to a good friend of his and I think he sees your connection to William and thinks of his own past, things that happened between him and me. He’s concerned about you.”
Willow could have lashed out about that, but instead she let out a sigh and said, “I went into the Bronze two days ago intending on telling him off….but I couldn’t. Oh believe me I let him know I couldn’t talk to him about his relationship with you…and I told him what I thought last Saturday night…but after awhile of talking with him I actually got comfortable. He’s easy to talk to and he listened to me, like William does, like you do. It was nice talking with him.”
Smiling, Mallory said, “I’m glad.”
Willow felt mixed emotions over this and said, “I felt so worried because when I left the Bronze that night, I knew I felt a bond between us…mom would I be a traitor if I said that I feel a connection to him as my dad? That I wish I could have known him before…”
Mallory said, “Willow there is nothing wrong with you. If you feel a bond between you and Rory that is wonderful. He is your real dad and no that doesn’t make you a traitor. Not at all.”
Willow said with a sly grin, “He saw me kick some major demon ass tonight.”
Showing surprise, Mallory said, “Oh really?”
Willow went on to tell her how she was aggravated by his overprotective attitude tonight but felt he was cool for asking her about her warrior skills. Mallory thought to herself that Rory hadn’t lost everything….
Later that same night, Mallory awoke to the sound of the phone ringing…seemingly off the hook. Jumping out of bed she groggily moved downstairs. Mallory reached the kitchen still thinking of the pleasant dream she had been having of drinking a pina colada on an exotic island.
Picking it up, Mallory said, “Hello?” Her voice sounded groggy and she was not happy.
A dispatcher was on the other end and she sounded concerned. “Am I speaking with Mrs. Eric Rosenberg?”
Mallory said, “Yes…this is. Can I help you?”
The dispatcher went on quietly, “Ma’am I hate to call you like this, with this kind of news…. There was a plane crash in Fort White. You’re husband was among the many found DOA.”
Shaking her head, Mallory said, “No…that can’t be possible. My husband wasn’t due back until mid morning,” looking at her watch, seeing it was one in the morning, she said, “tomorrow.”
The dispatcher replied, “I’m not sure how it happened that he was on it, but ma’am I can assure you he was on it.” She gave descriptives and Mallory could do nothing else but confirm it. She sat with the phone in her hand long after the dispatcher said she was sorry, asked for her to come immediately to get his things, and hung up.
Calling Willow, Mallory filled them in, in tears. Minutes later, they were there.
Willow put her arm around her mom and both broke down into tears… William sat in his own utter shock…someone he’d become friends with again was gone… he wished he could join Willow and cry with her. Instead he eventually pulled her into his arms and held her close as she cried in his arms. His own tears were there as well and he knew it because they fell into Willow’s bright red hair…
It was 2:00 in the morning. Normal time to sleep, but not tonight. Tonight was spent in dismay and shock.
Willow could hear her mom in the living room crying and going through dad’s things, trying to find numbers to call. Willow merely sat. She was unable to move. Still wanting to deny what she learned, but knowing inside that it was true, that there was just too much evidence from the dispatcher to prove otherwise, Willow rocked and cried. Willow heard her name and looking up she saw through blurry blue eyes William standing in jeans and a deep blue T-shirt. She watched as he walked over to her.
Willow stood slowly and met him in the middle going into his arms. William tried to talk to her but when Willow was unable to get words out, he picked her up in his arms and carried her upstairs, into her bedroom.
Sitting with her on her bed, he held her, saying consolingly, “I’m here, Will. I’m here.”
Willow said unevenly, “Oh William…Not my dad…”
He sat rocking her, much like she had been doing on the kitchen floor earlier. Speaking quietly while running his hand over her hair, William said, “It’s going to be okay, Will. Death isn’t forever. Your dad…he was just one of the greatest people I’ve ever known…and I believe, you’ll see him again one day. We all will….”
Willow heard the pain in his voice that she hadn’t heard before and looking up at him she said, “Can we lay together for awhile?”
Looking into her eyes, while touching her face, wiping tears, William said with the love in his heart in his eyes, in his voice, “Willow…we can do whatever you want.” Moving the blankets out of their way, William moved back onto Will’s pillow, pulling her with him.
Willow lay her head on his shoulder, his shirt she was sure was soaked, but he didn’t seem to mind. Feeling his arms around her waist, she moved closer to him and put her hand on his chest saying, “I love you, William.”
William kissed her lips gently and relaxing on her bed, he said, “I love you too, Willow.”
Together they drifted off to sleep--both needing it now….
Mallory moved around downstairs cleaning. She had to take a break from going through Eric’s things for awhile. It was just too much right then. She stayed up all night scrubbing floors, dusting, washing out the refrigerator, the stove. Anything and everything that she could do to keep busy. She cleaned places that didn’t need it, others that shamefully really did need it. After four hours of it, Mallory took a cleansing breath, feeling the shakiness and letting it out. It still hurt, but she could at least face it now. Knowing she had to for Willow, for herself, for Eric and the Fort White trip she had to face later today, Mallory took a look around the house and nodded. It shined.
Walking upstairs with some of Willow’s things that she left down here yesterday, Mallory started to walk in, then seeing Will asleep with William she put her sweater and sandals on her chair, stepped out and shut the door carefully behind her.
By eight that morning, Mallory was chewing on her bottom lip. Should she? Or should she just forget the idea? Was she a terrible person for the mere contemplation? Pouring a third cup of coffee, Mallory walked to the table and sat, looking at the yellow telephone that hung on the wall in her kitchen. Letting up a deep breath, Mallory walked to the phone and told herself she would call because he knew Eric. And frankly she needed to tell someone and she felt a need to call Rory. Dialing the motel, Mallory let it ring a few times. When no one answered, Mallory hung up. She was not happy. The clerk should have been there! It didn’t dawn on her that it was a Saturday and most clerks were off on Saturday’s and the ones who worked weekends wouldn’t be there for another hour. Right then, Mallory was too upset to think clearly.
She was pacing by now and this was what William saw when he walked in the room. He said, “Want to share?”
Mallory stopped and looked at William and feeling guilty she let her anger go saying softer, “It’s nothing…how’s Willow?”
William spoke honestly, “Sleeping. I’m worried about her. I’m gonna hang around for awhile. Is there something you need, Mallory?”
Mallory said before she thought, “I need businesses around here to be open when I call them…yeah.” Seeing his steady look, Mallory said, “I’m trying to reach Rory and he’s staying in a motel and they aren’t there yet to answer the damn phone.” Looking down she said, “I know…after what I just found out about Eric…I shouldn’t be wanting to reach Rory…”
William said, “I didn’t say that.”
Mallory said, “I know. I feel it. We spent a lot of time talking last night—solely as friends and I just thought he’d want to know about it.”
William said, “Makes sense. So take a drive over there. I’ll stay around and wait for Will to wake up.”
Smiling, Mallory said, “Thank you, William. I won’t be long.” William said, “Was there anyone else you needed to call?”
Mallory couldn’t do it…she couldn’t make him call Renee. She wouldn’t want to give that task to an archenemy. So she said, “Unless you want to call and verify from the dispatcher…I took down her number…” grabbing it off the refrigerator, she handed it to him, saying, “you could find out where in Fort White I’m supposed to be picking up…his things…I’d appreciate it.”
Nodding, William said, “You got it.”
Mallory thanked him and looked at her clothes. She was in her pajamas! Hurrying upstairs, she threw on jeans and the first shirt she found, a mauve blouse. Putting on tennis shoes, she checked on Willow to see that she was okay and went back downstairs.
Grabbing her keys out of her purse, she took purse and all and said to William, “Thanks again, William. I’ll be back shortly.”
William said, “Don’t mention it. Willow will be fine.”
Mallory knew Willow would be, that William would see to it she was. She left the house feeling sure of it….
Willow walked into the kitchen not long after her mom left and said to William, “Where’d mom go?”
William said, “To visit a friend. She’ll be back soon. How are you?”
Willow said, “Not as bad as I was…but still not quite…up to par.”
She walked to the fridge and grabbed a Dew, taking out another one for William and walking to the table, she handed William his.
William said, “Thanks.” Opening it he took a drink and said, “I’m sorry about this, Will.”
Willow said, “Me too.” Feeling more tears coming some falling, Willow added, “It’s so awful, William. I didn’t…didn’t get to tell him…goodbye…I love you…nothing. The last time I talked to him I was going to battle…it seems that way. I know he’s gone that the dispatcher was right but I just am having a hard time…”
William took her hands with his and said, “Willow, it’s okay to have a hard time. He was your dad.”
Willow felt something else in her that surfaced and William saw it. It was anger. She said, “I don’t know why he couldn’t’ have stayed and come home on his original time. I can’t help but feel…angry…angry that he chose to do that instead. I know it’s not his fault…I’m just not myself.”
William said, “It’s okay, Will. I don’t think you’re supposed to be. Truthfully, I’m not either. He was one of my friends.”
Willow saw it again and said, “I’m sorry, William. Here I am going on about it and I haven’t asked how you are.” Moving closer to him, Willow touched his face with her hand and said, “I’m sorry…”
William said, “You don’t have to be sorry, love. I’m more concerned about you then me.”
Willow moved to her knees on the floor and looking up into his blue eyes, while holding his hands, Willow said, “I know…it only shows me how much more you love me. How much I love you.”
William caught her look and said, “ I love you too, Willow.” Seeing her hand raising to his shirt, William said quietly, “Will…a tragic thing has happened, you’re grieving…”
Willow wiped her eyes and looking into William’s she said from her heart, “I know it has and I know that I’m hurt…devastated actually…but…” Moving up she kissed his lips. William kissed her back and held her. He said, “I don’t want to take advantage…I want to be her for you.”
Willow slid her hands around him and said, “You are. William I’m hurt and I’m more miserable than I have ever been in my life…please stop worrying about it and just…” Looking in his eyes she kissed him and kissed him again.
The sadness in her voice and her eyes couldn’t be denied, but William loved Willow too much to push her away. He didn’t want to push her away. So he pulled her forward, to him and lowering his mouth, he kissed her. Tasting her emotions and what she was asking him for, a closeness together that could make her pain go away for a little while, he deepened his kiss and picked her up, carrying her upstairs, to her bedroom….
Mallory parked her car in the parking lot of the Regional Motel. Walking to the front door she looked inside and sure enough it was locked and dark inside! Furious and feeling stupid for coming by, especially when she didn’t know his motel room number and couldn’t knock, Mallory stormed back to her car and sitting on the hood she felt the tears fall.
Rory pulled up in his Mustang and parked, at first not seeing her. He was out getting some smokes and coffee at Mc Donald’s. Parking, he climbed out and started to walk to his motel room, when he heard someone crying. The voice sounded…familiar. Glancing to his right, down the parking lot short ways, he saw her. Putting his things in his car, except for his coffee and smokes, Rory started to walk her direction.
Hearing footsteps coming her way, Mallory looked up and saw who it was. Wiping her eyes quickly she said, “Rory…”
Rory saw the tears before she wiped them and said, “You’ve been crying. What’s wrong, Mal?”
Mallory said, “Can we go inside? I’d…rather not talk about it out here.”
Nodding, Rory said, “Sure. Come on.”
Together, they walked across the parking lot. Rory waited and unlocked his door, number 5 and pushing it open, he waited until Mallory stepped inside, then following her he shut the door and locked it.
Sitting on the made bed, Mallory looked at Rory who dropped his keys and started to make his way near her. Rory sat on the table, across from her and casually took of his jacket. Looking at her he said, “What’s happened? Is it Willow?”
Shaking her head, Mallory said, “No…” Taking a deep breath, looking him in the eyes, Mallory added, “It’s Eric. I got a call during the night…his plane he wasn’t supposed to be on but got on a day early…it…didn’t make it.” Saying those words was almost too much for Mallory. She had to work hard to keep from thoroughly breaking down in front of Rory. There was only a fine line that kept her from doing it. Her determination within to remain strong was barely winning, but so far it was.
Rory couldn’t believe what he heard. He wanted to ask if they were sure, what evidence they had to prove such a thing, but looking at Mallory at how destroyed she was, he kept these things to himself. Instead, Rory said, “I’m sorry, Mallory. What can I do?”
Mallory said, “I’m not sure right now…I just needed to stop by…to tell you.”
Rory said, “I’m glad you did.” Seeing her pain, he moved closer to her and said, “Mallory…How is Will handling this?”
Mallory said quietly, “She’s hurt which is understandable… William is there with her so I’m sure she’ll be alright…it’s just hard.”
Rory replied, “I’m sure it is.” Looking at Mallory and seeing her anguish, Rory said, “Come here.” Mallory moved closer and accepted Rory’s arms around her. Crying the tears she tried to hold back to be strong earlier, Mallory let them fall. Rory’s unconditional embrace was something she had forgotten and clung now to as she faced this tragedy….
Pulling away moments later, Mallory looked into Rory’s blue eyes and actually felt tempted to go back into his arms, but refused, straightening herself instead. Rory saw it and felt it too within himself, but respected Eric too much and Mallory and what they had to push it.
Mallory said, “Thanks…I needed to let go of that…I tried to fight it back…”
Rory said gently, then more direct as he finished, “It’s better to let it go, Mal than to hold it in. You don’t ever have to tell me thanks for being your friend.”
Mallory looked at him then and met his direct look, the feelings that were there that she was discovering existed within her too. His words reminded her of when she was young, hearing him telling her that when she needed a friend. Moving away from him, she said, “I have to go…this…coming here…in here…was…a mistake. I should have just…told you outside…”
Rory got up and walking to her he said, “What’s wrong with coming in here and talking with a friend?”
Mallory said, “I don’t know. We are friends…or are becoming friends again.”
Rory said, “Right. I don’t have a problem with my friend I’ve known for years coming into my room to talk. Does it bother you?”
Mallory met his eyes and said, “I loved him, Rory. I spent eighteen years married to the man. Coming into the motel room of my old boyfriend feels tawdry.”
Grinning, Rory said, “I’m not going to take you to bed, Mallory.”
Mallory swallowed that emotion back and said, “I didn’t think you were. I know you aren’t like that, Rory. It isn’t you that bothers me right now.” She looked at him, hoping what she said was enough. It was.
Rory replied, “You’re going through a bad time, right now, Mal and I can see that you loved Eric.”
Mallory nodded and said, “I did, very much.”
Rory replied, “So there is nothing to worry about. We are friends. Friends,” he repeated and went on, “I’m not going to prey on you when you are down. I’m here for you, Mallory.”
Mallory smiled and said, “Thank you, Rory.” At the door, she turned and said, “I’m going to be making a trip to Fort White Texas today. So I won’t be home much. I’m thinking Will and William will come along…if you are interested…you are welcome to come too.”
Nodding, Rory said, “I’m there. I’ll come over with you, if you want.”
Looking up at him, glad to have him there as her friend, Mallory said, “I’d like that. You can have a real breakfast before the trip.”
Rory grabbed his keys and his jacket and followed Mallory out, locking the door behind him. He stopped at the window, the clerk was there now, and told her that he would be back much later and to hold his calls.
Squeezing her hand, Rory said, “I’ll follow you over there.”
Mallory said, “Okay.” She climbed in her car and drove out of the parking lot, on the drive home, watching periodically in her rearview mirror to be sure that he was still there. She shook her head, telling herself it was a friendly concern….
William and Willow didn’t walk downstairs again until around ten. William walked with his arm around her waist and she leaned into him, holding his waist with her arm. Stopping at the table, William turned to Willow and while sitting on the edge of it, he reached for her face, taking it in his hands. Pulling her gently forward, toward him, William kissed her. Willow moved up against him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissed him back. She was fully dressed in jean shorts and an I-Like-Science T-shirt.
For the last two hours William and Willow made love. They held each other, Willow cried in his arms and he held her closer, knowing her crying was not from lovemaking this time but from horrifying grief.
Walking downstairs when they were dressed and pain was there but held together, William held on to Willow’s shoulders and kissed her then held her stronger in his arms.
Mallory opened the front door and walked inside with Rory behind her. Mallory said, “William?”
William heard his name and kissed Will one more time then walked into the living room.
Rory looked at William and said, “Not exactly what I had in mind when I agreed to catch up.”
William nodded and said glumly, “No it’s not…I’ve been here all night. How you doing?”
Rory said, “Fine…feeling like hell for you all.”
Willow walked in the room and looked from her mom to Rory. She was dressed in her jeans but she was wearing William’s flannel and it was half buttoned. She blushed and buttoned the rest of it.
Walking to William she put her arm around him and said, to her mom, “Friend?”
Mallory looked up at Rory then feeling the guilt, she said, “Friend, Willow. I hope that’s not bad…”
William looked at Will and her mom and saw the pain. He put his arms around Willow and said, “It’s just hard…”
Willow agreed, crying on William’s t-shirt.
Nodding, Mallory said, “I know it is…”
Rory said, “Maybe I should go back…”
William shook his head and said, “No…Will why don’t we go home?”
Nodding, Willow said, “Yeah…I need to get cleaned up. And…pull it together.”
Mallory said, “Okay, well Willow you don’t have to go…”
Looking at her mom and knowing how she herself was feeling right then and that if she stayed ugly things may get said, Willow said, “Yeah, mom…I do. I’ll call you later.”
Halfway hugging and detecting it, Mallory felt worse and watched as William took Willow home.
She stood at the door with Rory behind her and felt her family, everything was changed. Nothing was the same anymore…
William called Mallory later while Willow showered and told her that he’d placed her calls. The group had to go to Fort White to pick up Eric’s things…
Meeting over there later that day, William and Willow joined Rory and Mallory and flew to Fort White. They spoke with people who were there that survived the plain crash and confirmed Eric’s presence there. Eric was gone. His loss was enormous and all went home feeling broken, not knowing where things were going to go, not feeling anything but incredible pain.
Summary: Not long after Eric's unexpected death, Willow found out she was pregnant. She's started school at SU with her friends and this chapter goes three months into her semester...new challenges are awaiting them all now that Willow is a pregnant warrior. Rory and Mallory decided to stay friends after one night that wasn't expected...but is that all they feel?
At the sound of her alarm clock, Willow sat up, wiping her eyes. Looking at it again to be sure it was right, she noted it was and begrudgingly she shook her head to get alive. Leaning over to William, she kissed him, then climbed out of the sheets and blankets. Sluggishly, she walked to the shower and washed up for the day. Today was a test day and she had to be completely awake for it. Midterms were here yet again and as a senior she had to do well on them…or she wanted to anyway. If it was possible, Willow wanted to juggle going to college part time and being a wife and mom. It wouldn’t be easy, but she talked with William about it and he was very supportive of the idea. So it was going to be a goal for her.
So far her pregnancy was a good one. No morning sickness and she had energy. Willow was so thankful! Drying off minutes later, Willow put on her jeans and orange T-shirt, Willow combed out her hair and started pulling it back in multiple ponytails so that it went down her back like a chain. Willow had adopted this look and liked it. Smiling, she brushed her teeth and shutting off the light to the bathroom she stepped out…right into William’s arms. He kissed her, bringing her up against him in seconds. Willow said, “Good morning.” William grinned and said, “Morning, love. You look beautiful Willow." Willow smiled and said, "Thank you." William nodded, kissed her and said, "You smell good too.” Willow thought William smelled pretty damn good himself. She moved her nose close to his warm chest and said, "You do too." Kissing his chest and touching his butt, Willow said, "Really good."
William chuckled and said, “Mmmm…” Willow felt him lowering kisses to her neck and getting horny so easily now days, Willow reached her hand forward and grabbed his hard cock but said, “William…it’s early…I have school…I’ll be late.”
William breathed heavier said, “Nope…I’ll...get you there on time. I want you first.”
He stuck his hand down her jeans and touched her and Willow was gone. She reached for her T-shirt and pulled it up firmly, pulling his head to hers and kissing him passionately, feeling him intensifying the one he gave back along with the next and so on. She said, “You get to drive me there. I can’t be late. I have a test first thing, William.”
William looked her in the eyes and seeing her desire he smiled with her and said, “I planned on it, love.” Picking her up he carried her back into the bedroom. Grabbing each other in the room, holding tight, Willow pushed down her jeans and panties and looking at William as he pushed down his boxers. William looked at Willow and said, "God I want you." Willow moved forward and said, "I want you too." Kissing each other, William kissed down Willow's body, down to her crotch. Opening her legs Willow said, "Oh yes, God go there!" William grinned and opened his mouth and moved in. She was wet, she was horny and hot, William was harder than hell and her naughty moans and cries only got him hotter. Willow grabbed his shoulders and bending some she felt him moving more over her with his mouth. Crying out loud she said, "Oh William, lick me more, lick me, fuck me!! Oh I want it!!!" William tasted Willow's cum as she came and heard her yelling his name. Standing again he kissed her lips and Willow kissed him and they moved down to the bed. Willow kissed down his chest, down over his belly, down to his hair to his crotch. To that hard cock that was so needy so wanting of Willow's open canal. Willow opened her mouth and felt him going inside her mouth. He was wet too and he was shaky and nerved up, needing it too. Sucking on him in ways he liked, Willow slid her hands up his sides, over his belly as she kept it up, then hearing him begging her to fuck him she tasted his salty cum. Spitting it out she got up where he was and kissing him hotter than earlier. She smiled and looking down over him she moved where she wanted to and rocked him over and over and over. Turning they continued to make amazing love where they made time to be together, in their bed, cumming together maddeningly, screaming out each others names. Willow's nails were still scratching his back after they came, while they kissed each other's lips, while Willow cried happy, well-satisfied tears. Finally, unbending her knees and letting her legs just relax again she accepted all of William’s sweet kisses and gave hers back, loving him so much…
William had her at school on time and Willow was once again clean and fixed up the way she had been before making love that morning. She felt good though! He always saw to it that she enjoyed being with him, quite extensively. She took her test and went about her day thinking nothing of it…until Anya walked to her privately at lunch time and whispered, “Willow…you have…a hickey.” Willow said in disbelief, “No way. William…he is too careful for that. He doesn’t like hickeys.” Anya grinned and grabbing her purse she pulled out a compact mirror and said, “He messed up. Look.” Willow looked and sure enough she had a good-sized hickey on the side of her neck. Unable to do anything but grin, Willow said, “You have anything…for it?” Smiling, Anya said, “Come on. We’ll take a trip to the bathroom.”
They went on and Anya put some base makeup on her neck and face to make it blend and covered it up. Going through her day, taking tests and getting out early, Willow walked to mom’s, knowing she was home on a knock-off day that the company gave its employees. Knocking on the door, Willow waited and heard her mom walking to the door. She saw the surprise in her eyes as she opened the door and giving a wide grin back, Willow said, “Yep, it’s me.”
Mallory opened the door and walking into the kitchen with Willow, Mallory said with a motherly smile, “You don’t have to knock on the door, Will. You used to live here, remember?”
Willow smiled and said, “But I don’t live here anymore. It’s like walking into someone’s house and opening their fridge and grabbing a bite to eat…you raised me not to do that.”
Mallory lightly laughed and said, “I think that is different, Willow. How are you doing?”
Willow said, “I’m fine, mom. Mom…you don’t have to make me a sandwich.” Mallory said, “I know.” She smiled and finishing the PB & J, she handed it to Willow. Willow took a bite and swallowing she said, “Thanks.” She found herself liking it well enough she ate the entire sandwich.
Mallory said, “How did you get out of school so early?”
Willow said, “Midterms…I took tests mainly today and got through them ahead of time.” Sobering some, Willow said, “Mom…I’ve been going to my regular OBGYN doctor, but I’m thinking maybe I should check around.”
Mallory went on alert saying, “Why? Is something wrong?”
Willow touched her mom’s hand and said, “No, mom. Nothing’s wrong…but I’m new at this and a warrior. I’ve got questions that I doubt Jan Harring would like to answer. I mean I doubt she’d know what to say to me telling her that I’ve got cravings to fence with my husband pregnant and all…and have to fight myself not to argue with him about skipping out on patrols.”
Mallory said, “Willow you haven’t been fencing with William have you?”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “No…I’ve not. When William and I spar with each other…we don’t kid around.” Smiling broadly, Willow added, “Talk about hot…when we would get together after fighting…mom it was astounding. I guess I crave that.”
Mallory had picked up on what she was saying and said, “So tell him you want to be more aggressive the next time. But don’t take chances with the baby, Will. It is too risky. You’re only three months along. You are still at a scary point.”
Willow nodded and said nervously, “I know…William won’t let me hardly wash a dish in the house. He does everything and has me sitting on the couch. I just wish I knew of someone I could talk to…another warrior…” At her mom’s look, Willow said with wide eyes, “No! I couldn’t talk to Rory, mom. It is…too personal.”
Rory walked in the room and said, “What’s too personal?” He had bought donuts and setting them on the table he sat and caught Willow looking at Mallory, and vice versa. He said, “Oh. Mother daughter stuff. I get it.”
Willow let out a low breath and giving up she said, “I’m thinking of changing my OB doctor to someone else. Someone up on warrior births.”
Grinning, Rory said, “I don’t think you’re going to find too many like that.”
Willow said resigned, very disappointed, “I figured…well I guess I’ll just deal…William talks to me about it regularly so it’ll be fine.”
Mallory interjected concerned, “Just remember, Will, no…fencing. Not until after the baby, please, for me.”
Rory caught on to this and said, “What’s going on Willow?”
Willow was discouraged about not finding a new OB and what felt uncomfortable before wasn’t so hard now to tell, so she said, “William and I used to fence regularly. I wonder if there is a way that I could still patrol…or be reckless…”
Rory tipped his drink and said, “Oh, I’m sure you could, you are still a warrior…but it would be damn risky, Willow. If you fenced with William…” he chuckled and said, “like I picture you doing, then you are chancing not only losing the baby but getting hurt yourself. You aren’t the same Willow anymore.”
Willow said smartly out of frustration, “No kidding.”
Rory met her look and said directly, “I’m not kidding. I’m being very serious, Willow. You’ve got to take it very easy during this pregnancy because your system isn’t the same. It is full of changes and things that you can’t imagine.”
Willow said, “You’re scaring me.” Rory touched her hand and said, “I’m not trying to, just being honest.”
Willow said, “How…how do you know this stuff?” Rory said, “My baby sister, Brett was a warrior too…” He got up from the table and said no more. Willow gathered what he was saying. She said quietly, “I’m sorry…” Rory turned and said, “It’s fine. Listen to me Willow. All major warrior fighting you and William did before, it has to stop, until you have the baby.” He added bluntly since this was an adult conversation, “To my knowledge of warrior pregnancies, you should be good to continue sleeping together. But your kick fighting days have to end until then.” He looked off for a minute to collect himself then looking at Willow, showing her his feelings, his emotions, he added dryly, “I lost my sister…I don’t want to lose you.”
Willow got up and heading to the door she said, “You won’t…I’ve got to go. Mom I’ll call you later. Rory…I am sorry.” Unable to do any different, Willow walked over to Rory and hugged him, crying on his shoulder for his pain…
Mallory sat at the table thankful to see this, wiping tears and determined to talk with him later.
Willow broke from the hug and Rory said in compromise, “Upper body only and make sure that you stay in control of what you’re doing and so does he. No drop kicks Willow.” Seeing her question, the way she looked at his weapons, he said, “Weapons are fine—meaning swords, sabers, as long as it is comfortable. If it’s done right, you should still get the same effects.”
Willow blushed and said, “How did you know…”
Rory grinned and said, “Oh I don’t know. How would I know about that?”
Grinning she said, “I’m going home.” Turning to her mom, Willow said, “Mom.”
Mallory walked over to her and hugging her she said, “Be careful and call me later, Willow. I love you.”
Willow said, “I love you, Mom.”
Finally turning to Rory she said, “I love you too.” It was the first time she had said those words since he had returned. Touched, Rory said, “I love you, Willow.”
Willow said, “I think you can call me Will now. You’ve earned it.” She smiled and walked out the door.
Mallory said, “Rory?” Rory said, “Just give me a minute, Mallory.” Digesting Willow’s words that he never thought he’d hear, Rory finally said, “I hope I told her right, Mal. I hope that she doesn’t wind up hurt regardless.”
Mallory said, “I hope not too, but if something happens and she loses the baby…we’d help her through it.”
Nodding, Rory said, “We would.” Looking at Mallory he said, “Mallory, Brett was my baby sister…she fell for another warrior. They fenced wildly…much how I expect Willow and William fight. I’ve heard about this from my mother, through the years.”
Mallory asked, “What happened?”
Rory sat at the table again and letting out a painful breath he said, “Chris wasn’t careful, he didn’t keep control and he drop kicked her. She was…seventeen…social and beautiful. She could fight me as well as she could him. I trained her.”
Mallory touched his arm and said, “Oh, Rory. I’m sorry. This has to hurt. We don’t have to talk about it now.”
Rory caressed Mallory’s hand on his arm and looking at her he said, “It’s been several years, but you never forget a sister. I’m going to talk with William too. Just in case he doesn’t remember her. I know I’ve mentioned Brett’s story to him, but it has been a long time ago.”
Mallory said, “Is there anything I can do?” Rory said, “Be a mom and keep an eye on Will. What you’ve been doing.” Smiling he said, “I’m sure she will be fine. I just worry about her…maybe too much with her being married.”
Mallory said with a laugh, “Join the club. Her being married doesn’t change it. She’s not here where I can see how she’s doing, so it is worse for me.”
Engaging his eyes on hers, Rory said, “I know. How have you been doing?”
Mallory said, “Good. Time has helped some. There are still days that I wake up wondering why the house is so empty…wishing it wasn’t. I’ve thought of moving, Rory, to the beach. Getting a condo, a change in scenery. This house…it holds too many memories. I can start over…”
Rory said, “I think that is a good plan, Mal.” He held her hand in his. Mallory asked, “How about you? You have to be getting pretty low on money. I haven’t seen you working anywhere.”
Grinning, Rory said, “I don’t have to, Mallory. I have an inheritance from my dad that my mother gave me that has me well enough off that I could spend the next fifty years in Sunnydale, buy a house and settle in without having to. Whatever I decide, I feel I have some time to come up with.”
Smiling up at him, she said, “Must be rough.” Looking at her hands, Mallory said, “I’ve been thinking about us for awhile now.”
Rory said, “You have?”
Nodding, Mallory said, “Yes. A lot actually. I have to know something before I tell you what I’ve come to though. Rory, I want the truth now.” Looking him squarely in the eyes she said, “Are you hanging around here because you like me, or because you are still in love with the Mallory I was at eighteen?"
Rory grabbed her hand again and said, “I am here because I am interested in Mallory Rosenberg. The feelings I had for Mallory Taylor will always remain in a piece of my heart, but what I feel now, Mallory, you can be sure is all present.”
Mallory nodded and said, “I’ve spent months searching within my heart to be sure that what I felt for you wasn’t old feelings, accepting that I loved you all these years while married to another man. I’d channeled it in my heart and I did love Eric…it just wasn’t the same kind of love. It was different.” Touching his face, Mallory added, “I’m still in love with you, Rory. I can say that calmly now because I know the difference.”
Rory said, “I hope Eric forgives me, but I love you too, Mallory. It never went away, it stayed with me and it is here now. I just don’t want Willow to hate me for trying to step in where Eric was for eighteen years.” Mallory scooted her chair closer to his and said gently, “Willow is a grown woman, married and living in her own house with William. Eric isn’t coming back. He isn’t. How you feel…how I feel…it isn’t a traitorous thing on Eric. I don’t’ believe that. Do you?”
Rory said honestly, “I did in the beginning. Eric was this hero that came in and saved the day, where I didn’t. To make moves on his wife felt like digging him back up and slapping him in the face.” Seeing her sad face, Eric touched her leg and said, “I don’t feel it now. I’ve gotten past it, Mal. I believe he understands that we had to move on.”
Mallory got up away from the table and at a distance she said, “Rory…I’ve been thinking about that night…remembering how you touched me.”
Rory looked at her intently, listening to her, feeling what she was saying and how it affected him. Knowing how it affected him, he said thickly, “Mallory…”
Mallory moved a strand of her hair behind her right ear and said, “You have come to mean so much to me since being back…I know how I feel about you now…and I am sounding desperate and I hate that. I’m not desperate or so lonely that I have to throw myself at you to get you to react. I’m going upstairs.” With that she left the room, heading up the stairs.
Reaching the hall, she started to pick up laundry and toss it in hampers when she heard Rory say, “Can I help with that?”
Mallory smiled and said, “What? Tossing laundry into hampers? There’s not much to it, Rory.” She turned and grinned and saw the look in his eyes. It echoed hers so strongly that she felt her mouth drop open and her throat go dry.
Dropping what she had in her hands, she watched as he started her direction. Rory said, “Before this continues, Mal, I want you to know. You aren’t desperate. You are one of the strongest women I know. I’ve waited for you because I care about you. Personally I think you have been worth waiting for.”
Mallory smiled and said, “Rory, you always know what to say.” Rory said, “No, I speak my mind, I say what I feel. I don’t always have the answers, Mal.”
Mallory felt him closing the distance between them and running her hands up his shirt, Mallory felt his arms as they slid around her waist. Looking into his blue eyes, Mallory said, “I have to say them now, Rory, because I know they are real. I love you.”
Rory said, “I love you.” Rory moved his right hand from Mallory’s waist to tilt up her chin and looking into her eyes, Rory dropped his mouth onto hers, claiming it, taking it and holding her there to give his message that he needed her right back.
Mallory moved on her toes and kissed him back, then ran kisses on his neck. Pushing his shirt up, she tossed it over his head, feeling aggressive tonight. Rory didn’t mind. He grabbed her shirt and lifted it, then reached her jeans. As he kissed her deeply, Rory unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, sticking his hand in her pants and feeling around. Mallory cried out, “Oh Rory!” Rory said heatedly, “Mallory…”
He started to remove his hand, but she protested saying, “No…no…don’t stop.”
Grinning at her, kissing her again, he kept his hand there and continued his pursuit. Nudging Mallory to a place where she could sit—turning out to be her bathroom counter, Rory lifted her and while keeping his hand where she needed it, he used the other to remove her jeans. That done, Rory walked up against her, straddling her, causing her to scoot back against the glass mirror.
Mallory needed this she knew. She felt him kissing her neck and panted, feeling tears in her eyes and hearing herself calling his name. Feeling everything changing inside her and needing it more than ever, she took her hand and putting it on his she pushed, saying through tears and pleas, “Rory…I need…more…” Rory said, “I know what you need and it isn’t my hand, Mal…”
Mallory didn’t know what she was saying and said hotly, “I can’t take this anymore…help me Rory.”
Rory felt her pushing on his hand long enough and taking her panties he all but yanked them down. Opening her legs wider, he pulled her into an open position and moved in with his mouth.
Mallory knew what he was doing and dropping her head back she said with a grin, “This is naughty…but oh it feels so good.”
Rory grinned and feeling enthralled by her happiness over this experience, he rubbed her thigh and said provocatively, “That’s how I want it to feel, Mal. That’s the whole point.” He smiled, kissed her thigh and continued on his voyage.
Moments into this act, Mallory was sliding across the counter, moaning and crying out his name. Realizing somewhere that the counter was going to be a mess from this, she said, “Rory…not on the counter…pick me up, please.”
Rory laughed and thought to himself that only Mal would think of that. Picking her up, where her knees rested on his shoulders and his hands cupped her bottom, he continued his attention. Mallory might have worried about heights…if she wasn’t so close to the border. Wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning down with her face, she felt as Rory took her to that white faraway land that was so bright, so wonderful, and all she could do was scream through tears of joy and freedom……….
Surfacing again, Mallory chuckled and said, “Wow…How did I end up on your shoulders?”
Rory chuckled all male as he said, “You want an answer to that, Mal?”
Mallory said, “I don’t know…” she laughed.
Rory picked her up off his shoulders and carrying her to the bedroom he said, “I think it had something to do with your counter and not wanting to…decorate it, shall we say.”
As he lowered Mallory onto the mattress and climbed in on top, Mallory said, “And you thought of me…again. Thank you.”
Rory looked into Mallory’s eyes and said, “Pleasing you is more important to me than anything I could get out of this.”
Mallory smiled and adjusting to him being on top she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “I can tell…I’m still feeling it.”
He lowered his mouth and kissing her he said, “My beautiful Mallory, so honest.”
Mallory moved her head up and kissed him back leisurely saying, “Like you, I say what I think or feel.” Rory got up and unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, then coming back to her, he took her mouth in a explosive kiss and enjoying this, they rolled over and over on the bed, laughing as they did when they were young. Becoming serious, Rory ran his hands over her face and kissing her lips endearingly, he readjusted himself on Mallory and said, “I love you,” as he went inside her. Mallory wrapped herself around him and said breathy, “All of you…in me.” She rose her legs and let him have more. Rory moaned saying, “Oh, Mallory.” He kissed her neck and found himself moving within her quite powerfully, the ache was just too strong. Mallory matched it, feeling the need for him to join her aggressively as this was the mood she was in tonight.
Moving across the sheets in reckless abandon, Mallory and Rory kissed and touched and together they danced across the glittery road of sweet victory as one strong unit knowing there was no going back and not wanting there to be….
While Rory and Mallory were reuniting, Willow walked into the front door of her house, anxious to find William. Seeing him at his computer in the den, Willow walked over to him and kissing him on his face, she said, “Hello.”
William pulled away from his project to take in Willow. He said, “Was I late picking you up today?” Shaking her head, Willow said, “Nope. I got out about an hour early, so I walked to Mom’s. Visited with her and Rory for awhile. Now I’m home.”
William stood from his chair and pulled Willow close saying, “I’m glad to see you.” Willow said with a grin, “Are you?”
William kissed her sweetly and said, “Always.” Then taking in what she had said, he asked, “Everything okay with your mom and Rory?”
Nodding, Willow smiled and said, “Everything’s good there. I think they might be going out, pretty seriously now.”
William asked, “Does it bother you?”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “I know that my mom loved my dad. I know he knew it too. But…” as hard as it was for her to still admit this, Willow said, “he’s gone. My mom loves Rory. I see it every time I’m in the room with them, or when it’s just me and her talking and his name comes up. I can’t hate mom for loving Rory.”
Walking to a chair and watching William do the same, Willow listened as he said, “I’ve been working on my newest story…the one I told you about last night.”
Smiling, Willow said, “Darkness and Light?” Nodding and pulling it up on the screen he said, “Mmm-hmm. Here. It’s only a beginning, but I’ll print it and let you read it.”
Excited, Willow watched as it printed and gladly took the six pages of paper with text on them. She started reading and then thinking of Rory’s comments to her about Brett and her wants to fence, she bit her lip.
William caught it and said, “What is it? Be honest, Will.” She saw he was thinking she was having a hard time with the writing. Shaking her head, she said, “It’s not this. I’ve read two paragraphs and am totally in love with it.” Putting the story aside, Willow said, “It’s something I’ve been thinking about.” William closed out of his story and walking to where Willow sat, he crouched down and looking up into her blue eyes he said, “What is it, love?”
Willow looked at William and said, “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something, but I’ve been hesitant, mainly because I figured it was impossible and I was just being greedy and selfish.”
William said, “You could never be that way to me, Willow. There is nothing, absolutely nothing you can’t tell me. What is it?”
Willow confessed, “I’ve been thinking about our sparring days…missing them.” Grinning wildly, William said, “Really?”
Nodding, Willow grinned and said, “Yes! I keep picturing us sparring and then…you and me getting wild and gropey on the floor. I love it when you take command and push me to my limits. It excites me.”
William said, “It excites me too, Will.”
Willow asked, “Do you think it would be okay?”
William said, “When we spar, Will, we get pretty intense. We don’t always have a handle on things. But…I think we can work something out to carry out your other request.”
He pulled Willow to her feet and walked her into the living room. Facing her in there, William walked across the room and opening the patio door for sea affects, he slowly walked over toward Willow.
Reaching for her hands he pulled her aggressively into his arms, surprising her with the intensity. Kissing Willow roughly, William kissed her again and again, picking her up and holding her at eye level again, deepening the kiss, getting her adrenaline going. Willow hung on and kissed him back fully, wrapping her legs around his waist and feeling as he lowered his mouth down her neck. He slid his hand under her orange T-shirt and moved her bra this way and that, over her nipple. Willow cried out his name.
Lowering them to the floor, moving everything out of the way, William sat Willow on the floor facing him. He lifted her shirt recklessly. Willow yanked his flannel off, tugging on his red T-shirt and pulling it off after. She smiled immediately, saw him smiling and pulling him closer to her she kissed him holding him there long enough to show she wanted a more dominating kiss. William obliged, pouring all he was into his kiss back, knocking her and he back onto the carpet. Kissing her with an outstanding force, William said Willow’s name. She said his.
She dropped her head back and felt him kissing her all along her neck while he casually undid her jeans, pushing them down along with her panties. Willow unbuckled and unzipped his jeans, pushing them down off of him too.
Naked, it only took a minute for William to realize that Willow was just as ready as he was. Again, kissing her deeply on her red lips, down her narrow neck, touching her hair with his fingers, William pushed into her. Willow cried out in joy and wrapping her arms around him, her legs around him tightly, she moved with him fast, feeling him kissing behind her ear, down her neck, on her breasts. Speaking out, Willow said, "Oh give it to me, William...I need it! Fuck me! Please fuck me...I'm so hot!"
William kissed Willow recklessly and rocking into her faster, feeling the incredible excitement of sliding his body into hers, he said, "I need it too, love. ” Willow moaned loudly and William moaned with her, as he jammed his hardness into her body, as he felt her legs needfully clasping to his back and sides.
Moving recklessly across the carpet, putting all of themselves into it they kissed passionately. As he kissed her neck, Willow got hotter and said in her state, "William! Give me more, oh I want more." As Willow dug her nails into his butt, she felt him fucking her more, giving her more of his love. The friction of his body working into hers again and again...
Screaming at the pleasure of her orgasm, she said, “Ohh!!!! YES!!!!! William yes!!!" What felt even better than that was feeling her body cumming and knowing that every bit of it was going all over him as he continued to make love to her. Her wetness, her answer was all over him! FOr some reason that excited Willow as much as feeling good and boy she felt good!
William kissed Willow and continuing to pump his body into hers, he breathily yelled out how great it felt and how much he loved Willow, as he came so romantically into her body. The lovemaking what was behind it, their love, their hearts that screamed out as much as they did with their voices, was here. It was here, in this room, on the carpet...then later that night, in their bedroom.
Near dreaming, William said, "I love you, Will." Willow smiled up at him in his arms and said, "I love you too, William." Wrapping his arms even more around her, William and Willow fell asleep...
Summary: Humorous and touching Holiday experience. All meet at Mallory’s for Thanksgiving…
Spoilers: None!
Part Eighteen—Thanksgiving
Willow tucked in her orange shirt into her blue jeans as William walked into the bedroom, dressed and showered, looking wonderful. She was fitful, however. Looking at William, Willow asked, “Tucked in or not?”
William said, “Oh definitely tucked in.” Walking closer to her he took her mouth in a warm kiss. Kissing him back and giving him an ornery look, Willow said, “You say that so you can watch me go.”
William grinned wider and said, “Tell me you don’t do it, Will.”
Holding up a prim expression on her face, Willow said, “I…” busting into a grin, she said, “I can’t say it. I do watch you go, shamelessly.”
Both of them busted into laughter and holding on to each other, they shared another couple of casual kisses before going to the kitchen and grabbing last minute things to take along to Mom’s. This was Thanksgiving and they were going to spend the day with the entire family…yes, the entire family—including Renee.
Looking at the calendar before leaving the house, Willow made a mental check to go to her OB GYN doctor Monday. The calendar was filled with appointments and notes that Willow and William had made. It held special value to Willow because it felt something they shared as a married couple.
She had some laundry to catch up on when she got home too, Willow knew and she had put her foot down on that. Willow didn’t mind William taking over cooking and even dishes if he chose, but dang it she could do some things. Pregnancy didn’t mean she was incapable of helping around the house. William relented when he met her stubbornness. He smiled eventually and said, “Fine. You fold, but I’m carrying the baskets to the living room.” It was hopeless! But Willow loved him so she easily overlooked it.
William made a big pot of meatballs that Willow loved! She tossed a salad and together they took the dishes out the front door. William locked up and they took off in the convertible, for Mallory’s.
William pulled up right behind Rory’s Mustang and right away he spotted Renee scowling in the backyard at them. He grinned over at Willow and said, “Watch this.” Moving their dishes so they wouldn’t get spilled, he pulled Willow over and kissed her deeply. Willow kissed him back and for herself and her nosy aunt, she unbuttoned a couple of his top buttons and completely moving the dishes into the backseat, she climbed halfway onto William’s lap and gave him a kiss that he matched with equal passion. The loud shriek and huff caused them to look at each other and laugh before giving in and kissing again for real.
Breaking apart, they promised each other plans for that night and grabbing the dishes, they climbed out of the convertible and started up the drive to the front door. Anya opened the door and said, “Boy have you two really stirred up your aunt, Willow.”
Grinning up at William, Willow said, “Did you hear that? We stirred up my nosy aunt.” William grinned back and raising his eyebrows for affect he said, “How do we live with ourselves?”
Willow leaned in to William to get a kiss and Anya pictured disaster so she said, “Here, give me those things.” She took the salad and the meatballs and rolling her eyes in good nature she headed for the kitchen. William and Willow stayed where they were for a small period of time, just enjoying kissing each other.
Anya walked into the kitchen and Rory said, “Here. Let me help you.” Anya said, “Good! Thank you, Rory.” When it was put on the table, Anya said with a large grin, “The newlyweds are here.” Just then a loud shriek could be heard and Mallory said, “Yep. Family, you have to love it.”
William and Willow walked in laughing, Willow tucking her shirt into her jeans and William rebuttoning his shirt. Before Rory or Mallory or even William and Willow could comment, Renee walked in and looking at the two newlyweds she said exasperatedly, “ You…two are…perverts! What’s more neither of you care. You enjoy it!”
William looked at Willow and saw her grin that matched his and trying to compose himself, William moved closer to Renee and said, “Strangely not as much as you enjoy window shopping. You know, I could have a talk with Norman and let him in on your fantasies, Renee. I’m sure he would work with you.”
Renee set her jaw and said, “Oh you think you’re God’s gift don’t you?”
William looked at Willow and said, “Nope. Just Willow’s.”
Renee stormed out of the room, and her daughters gave them wide grins of Yeah, finally! Xander looked at William and Willow and grinning he grabbed Anya around the waist and said, “Tell it like it is, man.”
Buffy materialized as she often did…from absolutely nowhere…and getting in William’s face, glancing at Willow, she said to William, “Could you be any bigger of a jerk? Or a child?”
William let her words hit and he realized that it might have looked bad. But he’d be damned if he’d let Buffy Summers think she had hit him, so he said flatly, “I don’t know. Could you be any bigger of a bitch?”
Buffy said, “Oh, come on.” By now they all knew she was the slayer. Family made confessions easier.
William snorted and said, “No thanks. I wouldn’t’ want to bloody up your $500 dress.”
Buffy took a lunge at him and said, “I’m not afraid of a little blood. Try me. Just try me.”
William said, “You aren’t worth my time. I didn’t come here to fight.”
Buffy’s eyes filled with bitter tears and said, “Too bad! You get to fight.” Taking a quick evaluation of the room, Buffy kicked out before anyone could react, including her opponent, and successfully kicked William in the face.
William came back strong. He took a solid punch to her mouth, knocking her to the floor. Before Mallory could worry, Buffy jumped up to her feet in hamstring affect that had some held in admiration, others excitement of what was coming next.
Both were bloody now.
William said, “Enough?” Buffy grinned despite the sting to her mouth and said, “Oh hell no. Come on.”
Mallory looked at Willow with concern and Willow said, “It’s okay, mom. Buffy is a slayer, William a warrior. One’s just as fierce as the other.”
Mallory let out a sigh and said, “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Willow gave her mom a long look and said, “I’m not getting into this. It’s been coming too long.”
Rory and the girls moved things out of the way.
They punched harder than most people could and get away with it and came back strong. Fighting hard and mean, William felt control slipping and grabbing her arm he said, “Enough Slayer!”
Buffy said, “Oh, no, not yet!” She took more punches, sending him back and watching as he came back, she worked harder to win. It was then that William saw the sadness, the pain, and blocking her next assault he looked her in the eyes, “I can’t bring Rebecca back. As much as I wish I could, I simply can’t, Buffy. No amount of this is going to do it.”
Buffy ignored her tears, going on anger, she grabbed his arm and taking a solid pull she pulled him away from the others and then looking him the eyes quicker than a minute, she sent him across the room with one final pummeled attack.
Looking at him she said, “You know…you are right, it doesn’t bring Becky back. But it helps.” Turning the others she said, “Forgive me.” And she ran upstairs in tears.
Willow tried to help him up and he held out a hand and shook his head saying without words that he couldn’t take her help then. He got up and wiping off his pants he left the room. Willow looked at her mother, then left right after him.
Xander said nothing, but held Anya. Rory lifted his eyebrows and said, “Bad blood.”
Anya said quietly, “It would be. Rebecca was Buffy’s older sister.” At the other’s quizzical looks, Anya explained, “Willow is my best friend. We pretty much know everything about each other.” Adding sadly, Anya said, “She can’t forgive him…”
Buffy entered the room again and said, “No…I can’t. You saw what kind of fighter I was here? Rebecca was ten times the slayer I am. She was dynamic. She was six years older than me and boy did I look up to her. I wanted to be like her. I went into her room and put on make-up and dressed up in her clothes,” she added with a sad smile. Mallory tried to be a kind ear as she said, “I’ll bet she was pretty.”
Buffy smiled broader at Mallory and said, “Oh she was. She was beautiful…dark hair and blue-green eyes. She was smarter than me, cunning and knew when a vampire was within 150 miles of her. She left the house on Thanksgiving to go…” she swallowed the pain and continued, “to a party at a friend’s house. I don’t remember whose house now…it’s not important. But she left…” looking at the group Buffy said evenly, “and she never came back. When word came to us that she was…taken…I ignored my mom and dad and took off. I went in search of her. Something in me told me that she was out there and I would find her…and I did.” Turning from the others she said through bitter tears, “I knew what a vampire was…my sister had told me and she had trained me some in fighting. I walked up…and…” through tears she said, “I caught Spike drinking from her. I ran toward him and shouted, ‘Leave her alone! That’s my sister, damn you!’” Anya tried to stop her, but Buffy held her off saying, “No…I…need to talk about this.” Anya said, “Okay…”
Buffy continued, “He dropped my sister like a bag of potatoes and turned toward me, thinking I was a nice dessert. I was stupid, but my sister was laying there on the ground bleeding and I went on instinct. It’s served me well. I was thirteen years old, but I fought him as if I were twenty. Realizing my size I guess and that he wasn’t all that interested, he backhanded me a couple times and took off. I toned him being gone out thinking I’d deal with that later…my thoughts were on Becky. I ran to her…calling out, “Becky! Come on…here, I’ll help.” I stupidly thought I could stop the bleeding, not seeing that she was pale as a ghost and already gone. He stole her from me…he could have had anyone he wanted…why…why did he have to take my sister’s life? She was everything to me…my best friend…”
Rory watched as William stood and listened, being careful not to alert her to his presence. Willow was beside him, holding his hand.
Buffy added, “When you guys moved here, I became friends with Willow. I learned quickly that she wasn’t big into partying or breaking the rules.” Mallory smiled and said, “No, Willow has always been a good kid.”
Nodding, Buffy said, “I know. But I got her to open up some. We became good friends. I thought it was about time that she met someone, that she was dating. I was too and bragged to her about Rick.” She smiled at Rick as she said that and continued, “Then he became everything to her and I found out who he was. I stupidly made it my job to be her big sister, to get involved and tell him to be honest with her…all it did was destroy everything. I can’t…” taking a deep excruciating breath, she said, “I can’t…see what has happened as anything except his taking someone else I care about from me. I’m sure that sounds ridiculous, but it is how I feel. I’m sorry, Mrs. Rosenberg, for ruining this day. I’ll…I’ll go on home and let you all enjoy the meal. I’m sorry.”
Mallory said, “No, you don’t have to leave.”
Buffy turned and met William’s eyes, saw the pain there and unable to shield herself she said, “Play me on this and you’ll wish to hell you didn’t.”
William said in a low voice, “I’m done playing.”
Buffy nodded and said, “Good thinking.” She said, “Bye, Willow.” Willow said, “Buffy…don’t go. Please.”
Buffy said, “I have to. I am sorry I got involved…it wasn’t my business…none of it was.” With that, Buffy left the house.
William looked at Rory, at Mallory, at Renee and her daughters and Xan and Anya and said, “I’m sorry…it seems I’m good at crashing parties…among other things. So I will go too.”
Willow looked at mom and Rory and said, “I’m going with him.” She sniffled and wiped tears.
Rory said, “Everyone stay put! William, you can’t change what you did five years ago anymore than I can change things I did twenty years ago. It hurts like hell and will stay inside you until you forgive yourself…but it is something you can’t change. Willow…you couldn’t stop what happened with you and William or what it might do to Buffy. You didn’t know it would hurt her, did you?”
Shaking her head, Willow said sadly, “No…I didn’t.”
Rory let out a deep breath and said, “So why take off and leave on Thanksgiving because of it?”
William met his eyes and said, “I don’t know.”
Rory said, “I don’t either.” Walking to the two of them, he added, “William you and me we’ve been friends through good and bad. I don’t want to spend today without you here.” Turning to Willow he added, “I certainly don’t want to spend it without you, Willow.”
Willow broke down and going into Rory’s arms she said, “I just feel so bad…about Buffy being alone.”
Rory said, “So let’s go find her and bring her back. Come on, you and me let’s go.”
William watched with Mallory and the others as Rory and Willow left the house to get Buffy.
William said, “Mallory, I’ll be back in a minute to help…” Nodding, she said, “That’s fine, William.”
He walked outside to the back porch and lighting a cigarette he took in what happened. He knew he couldn’t change what happened five years ago, but he would like to think that one-day, he could face what he was then. Acting as the creature he had been, that he had little control over when he was a vamp, and finally be able to forgive himself….
Xander stepped out and said, “Hey, man. Don’t let it get you down, William. You are a good guy. If I could change things I had done, I would have been nicer to my grandmother.”
William grinned up at him and said, “Your grandmother, huh? What was wrong with her?”
Xander let out a low shiver and said, “She made good food, for the most part…except when it came to her pumpkin pies. They were awful! And I was always stuck eating them. One day I acted like a jerk and hurt her feelings. I’ll never forget the hurt in her eyes. She’s been gone for over two years and the pain still is with me.”
William said, “No matter what it is it still tugs at you.”
Xander nodded and said, “Yep. Part of being human is lugging around pain. We all do it, William. Until, like Rory said, we finally let it go and move on. So how about we both let it go today?”
William grinned more and said, “Is this your way of saying you are starving and I’m holding up the food?”
Xander laughed and said, “No! But…it would be nice if you were inside then when the others get back we could eat.”
Putting out his cigarette, William said, “Come on then. I don’t want to keep you from turkey and dressing. I don’t want to be away from it either.”
William said as they headed to the door, “Xan?”
Xander turned and said, “Yeah?” William said, “Thanks. I needed that.”
Shrugging, Xander said, “That’s what friends are for, man. You needed one. I know. There’s been times I’ve needed a friend and it helps to know someone else who is willing to listen.”
William said, “We go on anymore and I’m going to ask how much of Oprah you watch.”
Xander said with a grin, “The same amount you watch.” William said, “That’s scary.”
Xander laughed and said, “I know. We’ll keep this to ourselves.”
Nodding, William said, “Completely. Willow would pick on me for days.” He knew that it was in fun that Willow wouldn’t care what he watched. But he was so thankful that Xander was out here today, listening and being his friend….
William went in and with Xander’s help they moved the furniture back where it was as if nothing happened in the kitchen or front room. William chipped in with dinner and told Mallory to sit. She let him saying, “I need a break. So how’s your writing coming along?”
William said, “Good. I’m working on a new novel and have just signed release forms on my last one. Willow says the new one is pretty good. She’s my biggest fan.” He smiled fondly.
Willow walked in and moving over to William she put an arm around his waist and said, “You forgot to tell mom the best part.” Grinning up at him, catching his grin back, he said, “I’ve made Willow my main female character…with the name of Jenny Michael.”
Mallory smiled and said, “That’s wonderful. Willow you should feel honored.”
Willow said, “I do. Believe me.” Going to the table, Willow sat up on it, facing William as she said, “Speaking of which don’t let me forget that I put Chapter 6 on the deck. I left it there this morning.”
William said with a grin, “I’ll remember.” He brushed past her a few times to do this or that, and Willow caught him on the fourth trip, pulling him to her.
Mallory said, “I think I hear my name being called. If you will excuse me.”
William said, “It’s ready Mallory.”
Mallory smiled and said, “Thanks.” She headed out to…leave them alone.
William moved his hand to Willow’s face and framing it he looked intently into her blue eyes, with his own. Willow grabbed his shirt innocently and felt William closing the distance with his body up against hers. Arching up closer against him, she felt his mouth as it took hers. He was driven by Willow and deepened the kiss. Willow didn’t’ complain, she held onto his neck and positioning her face to take more, she kissed him back. He cupped her neck and intensified the kiss. Willow locked her legs around his waist.
It was quite the scene and Buffy rolled her eyes saying with what? A grin. Yes a grin, “Hey lovebirds? You aren’t at home yet. Ravish each other later…when I’m not there to see it.”
William said, “Will did you just hear Rick calling Buffy?” Willow grinned at Buffy and said honestly, “I think he did. Seriously. From out back.”
Buffy stuck her tongue out and walked outside. William said, “Did I just see her act…human?”
Willow looked up at him and said, “Rory talked with her. I think it helped. She’s still a bitch, just on her best behavior…for now.”
Grinning into Willow’s eyes he said, “We’re all glad of it. Now…where were we?”
Willow helped him find the place he was at and moving her hands back up behind his neck she said, “About here.” He kissed her again, and again.
Just then, as if to seal the day forever, Xander walked in with a camera and took pictures.
Hearing the hollers, the rest hurried in and caught Willow and William very closely connected on the counter and Xander taking pictures of them.
Anya said, “Ewe! Xander! You are twisted! Give me that damn thing.”
William merely put his head on Willow’s shoulder and shaking it he said, “Oh this tops it.”
Willow couldn’t help it. She started laughing and it became contagious. The entire group wound up in tears, laughing.
William moved his head up finally and looking at Willow he said, “What the hell?” he kissed her heatedly once more receiving one in return from Willow and then backing up he helped her to the floor.
Turning to the group, William said, “Happy Thanksgiving.”
Aunt Renee looked at Uncle Norman and taking the sod off guard, she pulled him to her in a passionate embrace and kissed him. He turned beat red and stormed out of the room.
She went after him with a mission. Damn it she was going to find out what was so spectacular about what she’d been hearing from her teenage daughters! They left on a drive and didn’t come back for hours.
William watched with Willow and looking at Mallory and the others he said, “Something tells me she’s gonna come back a new woman.”
Abby said, “It’s about time!” Her sister echoed it.
Rory tried to be stoic as he said, “Abby I think you put too much into sex. You both do. You better watch it. There are predators out there..” he added this with a wicked grin to his best friend who grinned back, saying, “Surely you jest.” Turning to the girls, William said, “Rory’s right. There are men out there that are not afraid of using young girls and you are two good girls.” They rolled their eyes denying it. William said, “Trust me. You are good girls. I’ve known of enough bad ones to tell the difference.”
Buffy said, “Listen to him girls…he would know about it because you see he is a distant cousin to Superman.” She rolled her eyes and said to William, “Take it from here, Clarkie. Tell them both how they should watch their steps…coming from a man who dated a bad girl for years. Tell them an account of your relationship with Drusilla. That will keep them busy, I’m sure.”
William said, “Let’s…not.” Mallory handed Abby some money and said, “Why don’t you girls go to the store and pick up some of your favorite sodas. We don’t carry it here.”
Taking the hint, they left.
Mallory looked at Buffy and said, “Buffy I have always seen you as another daughter to me. But enough’s enough. I’m sorry that you hold such pain, that you lost your sister, but being hateful and spiteful isn’t going to change it. It won’t help you either, as a person.” Taking a deep breath, Mallory added, “This is Thanksgiving, Buffy. If you can’t be civil for one day around William, then maybe it is best if you go.”
Buffy said, “I think you’re right. My mom’s holding turkey day at home anyway.” She grabbed her coat and left. Her motorcycle was heard as she left.
William looked at Mallory and said, “Thanks for the diversion.”
Mallory nodded and said with a sympathetic smile, “Sure. Now are we going to eat this bird or just watch it get cold?”
Anya said, “Shouldn’t we wait for the others?”
Shaking her head, Mallory said, “No…we’ve let it sit long enough now. They can dig in when they get back.”
They sat at the table and said blessing, digging into the turkey and dressing. Xander’s sense of humor and Rory’s friendship were a big help to William. Willow topped it all by putting her hand on his and saying, “I love you.” He smiled at her and said, “I love you too, Willow.” He kissed her lightly, then took her into his arms in a hug.
Renee and the girls came back and did dig in. No one else made any wisecracks that day about William’s past as Spike. It was dropped and they enjoyed a nice meal as a family…Renee did look different and Norman was all smiles!
Dancing up the drive to Mom’s, Willow held William’s hand as they opened the door and walked inside. The house was decorated for a party, celebrating Willow's earning Science Queen at SU, something they did for the past few years for those who were big into Science. Willow had been honored a crown and given a scholarship for next semester to boot. Needless-to-say the house was full of balloons and music Willow liked. Mom looked up at Willow and walked to her, taking her into a hug. Willow hugged her back, saying, “I love you, mom.”
William said hello and went in search of his friend. Finding him, bullshitting with Xander, William joined in…
Later, Willow changed out of her gown and stood in leather jeans and a red T-shirt. Small in her pregnancy she barely had a pouch in her lower belly. She merely went and bought a larger size of jeans. She still had a flat upper belly.
Meeting mom in the kitchen, Willow said, “Thanks mom…for the party.” Mallory smiled and pouring Willow a Dew she said, “You’re welcome, Will.” Mom went to work feeding Willow again! Willow said, “Mom…I’m not always hungry you know.” Mallory said, “I know. But the baby might be.” Willow rolled her eyes and dang it if she didn’t’ eat it all! Willow grinned at mom’s raised brows and said, “Surprises me too.” Mom said, “It’s fine, Willow.”
Willow spotted William and felt a sudden urge to attack him. It was overwhelming. She tried to hide it, while with mom, but mom caught it. She was so perceptive! Mallory said with a grin, “That bad, huh?”
Willow said aloud what she was thinking, “Here lately it seems to be worse. I want to spar so bad…it isn’t funny.”
Mallory said quietly, “So spar with him.” Willow said, “I can’t…not for a few months at least…it sucks.”
Mallory said, “I’d think you two could come to a compromise on sparring and using control, where you could still train.”
Willow didn’t think it was possible, and put it out of her mind, enjoying the party with William and her friends and family.
Leaving for home at around nine, William and Willow grinned at each other, scooted closer in the car and relaxed while going down the road. Inside with the door shut and locked, the alarm set, Willow looked at William and said, “We’re home.”
Smiling and walking to her, William said, “I know.” Touching his mouth to hers, William tasted urgency. He saw desire and deepening the kiss, he pulled Willow into his arms.
Willow ended the kiss surprising herself and him for a second. He said, “Will…you okay?”
Shaking her head, Willow turned with her back to him. She said softly, “I mean, I’m fine—the baby’s good—but I’m…having problems. I’m so damn hot and needy.”
William moved closer to Willow saying, “I like it when you tell me that.” He grinned.
Smiling over at him, she said, “I know…I guess I don’t get it. We are together a lot. But like tonight, I was talking with mom and spotted you across the room. All of a sudden I got this incredible urge to be with you…it is so powerful and makes me want you…” turning to him, feeling his body inches from hers, seeing the way his eyes held passion, Willow said, “It makes me want to fence with you. I know it is a selfish want because I am pregnant and we have to be so careful. I’m just being selfish.”
Willow started to leave the room. William caught her arm and meaningfully he turned her to face him. Catching her wants that were so matched with his, he said, “My sweet Willow.”
Willow said bluntly, “I’m not sweet. I’m selfish…and I want to fence with you so badly it hurts.”
William grabbed Willow close and said, “Girl you could never be selfish.” Willow said, “I am…”
Running her hands up his arms, Willow told him with her eyes that she needed to be kissed. So he kissed her, he kissed her face, her neck, and her mouth. The love between them was so deep that it was enough to embrace without words.
Breaking the kiss, William said, “Take me, Willow.”
Confused, Willow asked, “What?” She grinned guessing he was wanting to go to bed. She began to unbutton his shirt. He stopped her, kissing her hands, and moving back some he said directly, “Take me on. Give me your best shot.”
Willow got nervous saying, “What if we get carried away?”
William said, “I won’t let anything happen to hurt you, Will. I’m staying in control. So come on.” He urged with his hands, like come and get some.
Willow kicked out of her shoes. Going on desire, needs she couldn’t contain, Willow lunged, pushing at him. William pushed back very slightly, almost with the effect of keeping someone from getting hurt, he used no fighting skills in this move. He did it only so Willow would keep going.
In a move that was quick, Willow kicked up into William’s face, sending him back temporarily. Coming back, Willow eyed him and punched him in the stomach, in the face, lunging at him and continuing her assault. She was completely absorbed in this fight. Yet with her fighting, she still somehow managed to move close, intimately against him in a dance that was apparent. With one final kick she sent him on his back, on the floor.
Realizing what she did, Willow broke into tears and said, “What is happening to me?” She ran upstairs scared…of herself.
William followed her in the room, climbing in bed with her. He kissed her shoulder, then her neck, saying, “Sweet Willow…do you know how much I love you?” Willow said through wet tears, “William…something…is wrong…with me.”
William said on a chuckle with love behind it, “Nothing is wrong with you.” He added, “Nothing.” William was naked in bed with Willow. He pulled her back against him, his hardness and love there for Willow to feel. Willow shuddered desperately, still in that state of passion. He moved his hands to the inside of her thighs for just an instant before Willow turned abruptly, that look in her eyes that he knew and expected. Facing him in the dark of their bedroom Willow said, “Fuck me. Now.”
Taking off her jeans and pulling down her panties, William lifted her legs and pushed into her hot body quickly with a mighty exuberance.
Moving across the bed, Willow pulled off her shirt, William took off her bra, kissing her and telling her he loved her. Willow said, “I love you, William, so much.” Her eyes growing damp, Willow clung to him, clawing his shoulders and panting. Willow said needy, “More…more…take me like crazy.”
William grinned over this and rose his level of passion to something instinctive, something he had never shared with Willow before.
Touching her hair, he grabbed it, tugging, he kissed her mouth, kissed her with full possession. Rough sex was not normally his style—it hadn’t been with Will. But her body was changing from the pregnancy, those changes creating needs. So he would do whatever she asked, loving her completely.
Repositioning Willow so that her legs were spread wide and he was given more of her to move into, William rapidly fucked her, his own swelling and needy penis feeling the connection. He fucked her harder than he ever had before. Faster and more passionately. Willow’s point of need took it and gave back, while crying out, “Oh…oh William…” He panted, kissing her face, her mouth, her neck, her breasts. He said thickly, “Willow…damn girl…” she had encased him with her legs and moved frisky-like with him.
Willow was wild. She said, “I…can’t…stop…I don’t understand it.”
William said in this mode of desire, “Hang on, love.” He grabbed her legs and pushed them hard up against her, in a move that would hurt tomorrow. He pummeled into her so strongly it had her flattened on the bed, with her head tipped back, gasping for air. Willow moved with William and feeling hornier and needing her orgasm more than ever before, Willow whimpered and moaned loud enough, William kissed her neck and groaned with her, saying, “Almost there, Will, just…hang on…hang on.”
Willow gasped, “Keep going…don’t stop…William don't stop! Oh! William!!!! I need you!!!! I need...I need it!"
Encouraged by her words, William rocked his body faster, humping her even more, going as far inside her as he could and as quickly as he could, hearing her cries that screamed he was doing what she needed, and feeling his own body agreeing with her.
Feeling on the verge, Willow’s eyes widened and she said, “Oh…William…” Kissing his mouth through pleas.
The bed was sweaty and Willow was on the edge of cumming. She clawed William's back breathing hard and moving up with him and down with him. Needing to feel the orgasm...
She cried out as it was right there at the tip before the crash of pleasure, "Oh!!!! Fuck...me!!!!!"
William bore into her rigorously and at the final entrance, Willow screamed. “Yes!!!!!!!! Oh!!!! Oh yes!!!! Oh William yes!!!! Oh Sweet William…I love you!” She cried out, feeling exhausted but at the same time, very good.
William came after, moaning as well and like Willow, feeling wonderful.
William held her close, running his hands over Willow’s hair. Kissing her, he said half asleep himself, “Incredible…that was incredible…I love you, Will.” With that they both fell asleep…
Awakening later, the next day, Willow kissed William, then remembered her words, her actions, and seeing how she beat him up, Willow moved to her side and got dressed.
William awoke, seeing Willow’s unease. Sitting up, he said, “Willow? You okay?” Willow didn’t answer; she was still thinking about what all she did sparring. William said upset with himself, “I knew I shouldn’t have been that aggressive. I hurt you, didn’t I?”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “No. You didn’t hurt me William.” Smiling she added from her heart, “Not at all.” William grinned and kissing her he said, “Good.” Holding her in his arms, William added, “So what’s up?”
Willow asked with worry in her voice, confusion, “What does this mean, William? Needing hot sex at odd times of the day, wanting to fence you at random? I could have hurt you… Why? Why didn’t you…say you didn’t want to fence?”
William held her hands as he said, “Because I love you. I love you and I wanted to give you what you needed. And hey,” he added with a sly grin, "Steamy sex in the afternoon is always a great idea to me.” William’s grin widened.
Willow tried to smile, but still felt so bad. Seeing the over-emotional pain in Willow’s eyes, William added, “You didn’t hurt me, Will.” When Willow broke into tears, William urged her closer against him saying, “Come here, girl.”
Willow moved closer and felt as William held her saying, “It’s okay, Willow. We’re going to figure this out.” Willow nodded and said, “Okay…”
Later that Saturday, William stood with Rory outside at Mallory’s so they could talk. Rory took in William’s cuts and the bruise on his cheek and grinning temporarily, he said, “What did you run into?”
William gave him a look that said this was serious and said, “Look, this may sound too personal. If it is, tell me and I’ll go to Giles. He seems to be up on this sort of thing.”
William saw he was listening and said, “This stays between us, Rory.”
Straightening up, Rory said, “Okay. What is it?”
William checked that the doors were shut as well as the windows and no one was outside snooping as he said, “Willow sparred with me last night. I lost.”
Grinning, Rory said, “Let her win?”
William said, “In a sense. I didn’t really fight back. I let her have a go. Rory I don’t understand warrior pregnancies, but something is up with Will. She’s become hot, tempered, she is fitful and…” dragging this out, he said under his breath, “she’s lately begun to get into wild sex. Shit I’ve not done since…” he knew when, may a well say it, “Since Drusilla. She carries this baggage of guilt and I can’t convince her that it isn’t necessary. It’s beyond her control, Rory. All of it is. So while sparring, I kept control for her. So
explains the busted lip…the bruises.” Pausing, William added on further thought of last night, “I’m surprised she can walk.” Did he just say that? Realizing he had, William shook his head and grinned. What else was he to do?
Rory held up a hand and said, “Alright. I’ll check into it. I admire you for thinking of her—and the baby. I wouldn’t tell her that comparison with Dru, though.” He grinned over that.
William said, “Mama didn’t raise no fool. Willow is a far better woman than Drusilla was…so bad comparison. I retract it. I know that you probably didn’t want all the details…I just needed to vent and get advice. Thanks, man.”
Nodding and chucking back the idea and visual of Willow and his friend in bed, Rory said with a smile, “Sure. Mom’s got warrior blood in her…maybe she’ll talk with Willow.”
Shaking his head, William said, “I’m not trying to be rude, but Willow’s too perceptive…much like Mallory. If she thinks I came to you about this…well let’s just say I have to live with that woman. Just as a suggestion, I’d go to her on your own if you know something or learn something…or have Mallory go to her. Not a…”
Rory said knowingly, “I get it.”
William asked, with a grin, “How’s things with you and Mallory?”
Grinning, Rory said, “Good.” William laughed and patting Rory on the shoulder he said, “That’s good. She always did love you, Rory.”
Rory said, “I always loved her…I was a mess and a coward.”
William said, “Yeah? What are you now?” Receiving a nod, William walked inside. Rory said, “I’ll be in soon. I need a smoke first.”
William had to fight the grin that nearly came on his face. Apparently Willow was hobbling…and bowlegged today. Realizing the cause of it, his
smile vanished. Mallory glanced at him, seeing his bruises and lip, and he said, “Hey Mallory. Rory’s outside, having a smoke.”
Mallory went on out.
Once alone, William said, “Willow, honey, I’m sorry for being so rough last night…”
Smiling up at him, Willow said, “You weren’t. I…I enjoyed it.” She walked to him and ran her hands up his chest, behind his neck. On her tiptoes, Willow moved against him and said, “This is madness…but…I want you again.”
William held her, and said, “Will, you can barely walk, and you want more? Shouldn’t we give you some time?” Willow shook her head and said, “William, I need to be with you.” She whispered in his ear exactly how she needed to be with him.
William looked around to be sure they were alone. Seeing they were, he grinned and kissed Willow and taking her outside he said to Rory and Mallory, “We’re outta here.”
Willow said, “Bye mom…Rory. I’ll call you later.” Mom said, “Okay.” Rory said, “Be careful.” Willow quickly moved back to William and clung to him all the way to the car!
Pulling the convertible to a dead stop in a field, in the middle of nowhere, William tossed a blanket to the ground and pulled Willow closer to him, into his arms. Kissing her passionately, he met her arduous kiss in return. Willow yanked his shirt off, felt as he pulled hers off along with her silky white bra. Unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans, William pushed them off her. Willow smiled with William and climbed next to him. Lowering his sexy lips to hers, William kissed Willow, in a relaxing way that was nice. Willow normally would have enjoyed this alone, this sweet form of lovemaking, but her needs were skyrocketing now. So she moved against him, held his shoulders to keep him there and kissed him deeper from different angles. She said breathlessly, “William…touch me…oh please touch me.”
Chuckling for a moment, William said, “I thought you wanted me to…” At Willow’s blush he smiled and said, “So what happened?”
Willow shook her head mindlessly and said, “After…Oh I can’t take this…”
William kissed her and said, “I can.” He moved her to a sitting position on the passenger side of the car, then he haunched at the floorboard of the front seat.
Just then William moved in where Willow was crying for him to be. Willow gasped as he got it right and began to please her. She said, “Oh this is too good…oh damn…” throwing her head back, so hot, Willow said, “Oh William…”
Tears fell and her body shook as the moment neared. Feeling it on the edge again, Willow said, “Mmmm.” Then as it ripped through her, Willow hollered through more tears, “Oh! Will…iam, my love! Oh! Oh! Oh!” Seeing her smile, moving forward, William kissed his beautiful, passionate wife, felt her kiss him back, and saw her tears. Wiping them, William lifted her chin and kissed her lips, needy-like. Pulling her closer against him, William began to kiss her neck.
Willow’s needs returned and she said, “William…” Willow was on fire. She had no way of stopping it, all she knew was that she needed William, so she whimpered, “Now…please…now, William.” William picked her up and straddling her against him while standing in the golden field, William lowered her crotch fast and recklessly as she craved to what she needed, his hard raised penis. The connection of two bodies was what he needed too, and he'd not want it from any other woman, except his Willow.
They made love standing, then on the ground in multiple positions—then finally spent, Willow whispered against his lips, “I love you.” William smiled kissed her back loving everything about Willow, as he said, “I love you too, Willow.”
As they dressed later that day, it all came back how she had been behaving lately and Willow said honestly to William, “Do you think it is the pregnancy?” William grinned and gently pulling Willow closer again to him, so they could snuggle, William said, “I think I’m in love with you, with the whole Willow package, and part of that love includes enjoying being with you like this.”
Willow blushed and said, “I love you too and enjoy this very much…but…” she grinned slyly catching his grin as she said, “Five times in one day?”
William kissed her, smiling, and said, “Willow you could tell me to take you twenty times in one day and I would do it. Before you begin to think bad thoughts, it excites me, knowing you desire me as much as you do.” Willow said, “Really? I’m glad.” Grinning with her, he said, “Willow you challenge me, I’ll say that, but never think it disgusts me or that it makes me want to turn away from you. It only inspires me to give more to you.”
Willow leaned into him and said, “Oh William…” William kissed her sweetly accepting her kiss again and said, “I love you, Willow.”
Willow smiled, much more at ease now, and said from her heart, “I love you, William.”
Grinning, Willow added, “I don’t know about you, but I am starving!” Holding Willow next to him, William kissed her lips then her neck and said, “Food…that sounds pretty good to me, too. Let’s go home.” He climbed into the convertible with Willow and whispered plans of making love with her by the fireplace after while. Willow snuggled closer, laying her head on his shoulder, smiling, loving William so very much…
Summary: Rory follows up with William and Willow about the pregnancy and what’s going on…Willow gets quite embarrassed in this one!
Spoilers: None!
Part Twenty—Following Up…
Two Days Later…
Two days later, Rory stopped by at William and Willow’s. William answered the door and said, “Hey, Rory. Come in.” Rory said, “Hey. How’s it going?” William said, “Good. You?” Rory said, “Not bad. Listen, I’ve spoken with mom about what we discussed and…Where’s Willow?”
William said, “Getting dressed. She’ll be out in a minute. What did you find out?”
Rory started to say when Willow walked in dressed in gray sweats and a What You See Is What You Get tank top. Not seeing Rory at first, she said to William, “William, I had to do it. I had to change our sheets…talk about yuck.”
William said, “Uh…Will…we have company.”
Willow said with raised eyebrows, “If it’s one of your friends, they know what I’m talking about. I mean it is gross to sleep on a pair of sheets for a week, feeling a part of the cotton and polyester. Twice I had to push myself up off of them!” Making an ewe sound, she shook with the memory and said, “Ewe… From now on, I’m changing them every other day…”
William said, “It’s Rory, Will.”
Digesting this humiliation, Willow covered her face and said, “Oh no…No you mean a friend from the Bronze…right? Not my dad…I didn’t just tell our private details to Rory did I?” Realizing she had, Willow covered her face with her hands and shaking her head she said, “Hello, Rory.”
Rory grinned where she couldn’t’ see him and said, “Willow. Good to see you.”
Willow said, “You could have called…or stopped me halfway through my taxi cab confession.”
Rory said, “I suppose I could have…but I didn’t to embarrass you, Will.”
Willow moved to a spot next to William on the couch, she said, “Too late…” She felt William rubbing a hand over her shoulder and said, “It’s okay, Willow.” Willow said, “Oh it will be…later on.” Looking up at him she said, “Please don’t’ tell any of this to mom. I couldn’t face her.” Rory grinned and said, “I won’t say a word, Will.”
Nodding, Willow said, feeling so naked now, “I didn’t say any of it, period.”
Rory said, “It’s gone. Will, I stopped by to talk. It’s about your pregnancy, things I discovered on my own that I thought you might be experiencing or interested in knowing. Want to talk here or outside?”
Shrugging as she sat on the couch opposite him, Willow said, “Here’s fine.” William picked up on his wanting to talk to her alone, so he said, “Will, I need to mail out that story and some other things, so I’ll be back.” Willow said, “Okay.”
William bent down and kissed Willow then left them alone.
Facing Rory, Willow bit her lip in worry and said, “What’s up?”
Seeing his long look, hearing him say, “You tell me,” Willow confessed, “Yes! I’ve been fencing…a lot. It’s all good though. William doesn’t…fight back.” Guilt washing over her at this, she said, “Which makes me sound terrible. I fence one-sidedly with my lover. I can’t help it though. I mean I hate that I’ve become so…primal. I get into these grooves, Rory, where I have to fence or else and I don’t’ want to know what the Or Else is. I am totally driven, Rory. Just as bad as a…” she couldn’t’ say. It would be too hard to get the word slut out.
Rory said, “It’s normal, Willow. Part of being a warrior, married to another warrior and carrying his child.” Willow broke into tears, “It isn’t normal to expect him to go with my moods at will, Rory. It feels selfish…I am a terrible person. I don’t…deserve him.” She held her stomach and burst into new tears.
Rory moved to her and she didn’t know it. He said, “That’s not true, Will. Listen. My mother…she went through this sort of thing when she was pregnant with my sister, Brett. I remember it. She told me that fencing is normal and that it goes on through the last months of pregnancy.”
Willow chuckled dryly and said, “He’ll not make it. I’ll be planning his funeral.” Rory laughed, looking at his daughter with love and said, “Something tells me he’ll be fine. Does he pull away from you?”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “Nope.” Rory said, “Then don’t let it bother you. He must not mind your moods. There is something you need to be aware of, Will. I’m mentioning it to warn you.”
Willow said, “I dress in black, dye my hair black and change my name to Drusilla—wearing a set of fake fangs, right?”
Rory laughed and said, “Not what I was talking about, Will. You do that and your mother will lay into you. Fair warning.”
Grinning, Willow said, “I know. Just thought I’d be funny.”
Rory said, “Where did the idea of Dru come from?”
Willow said honestly, “I had a dream about a week ago…something I’ve not told William about. It started with me out walking, I don’t know where I was going…doesn’t matter. Then suddenly I was in a cemetery—it was the one here in Sunnydale. A beautiful brunette walked toward me…she wore her hair long, like me. She gave me a look over which caused me to give her a dirty look and said, “I know you, Willow. You better enjoy what you’ve got going, because I’m not done…Spike is mine and he always will be.”” Looking at Rory, Willow rolled her eyes and said, “Whatever right? It was laughable at first and I know I gave her a confident look because she rose her eyebrows in a dare. It was funny…but at the same time…it was really creepy. I woke up shivering…”
Rory said, “You sure it was Dru?”
Willow said, “Yes. Besides the fact that she told me…I just had this feeling. I can’t explain it…Anyway, she stood in this white gown that shimmered, I remember thinking it was pretty…and she was much fuller in the bust than me. She wore her gown low in front to show it off, I think.” Again she rolled her eyes in disgust.
Rory said, “Don’t give her a second thought. You hear me, Will? You are the woman that William loves. Nothing that vindictive slut says changes that. She messed with whoever would raise her dress, Willow. She was no princess. She tried to get me to sleep with her…William doesn’t know about that either. I tried to forget it. Now she’s playing games. Must have grown bored of her last play toy.”
Willow grew serious again and said, “What’s coming, Rory? What are you warning me of?”
Rory still fumed inside over Dru intimidating Willow—he caught the intimidation—but he put it aside to answer her saying, “Your emotions are going to be quick fused, and you will want to fight, Will. Not just with William but with others too. At the drop of a hat, you’ll want to spar, Willow. I stopped by to tell you that all this is normal, but has to be channeled. The further along you get…Will you won’t be able to drop kick, but you could still do damage. You need to tell William and between you and your mom and me we’ll help you through it. Finding control in a warrior pregnancy is hard…but having close family helps.”
Smiling, Willow hugged him and said, “Yes, it does. I love you, Rory.”
Hugging her tight, Rory said, “I love you, Willow.”
He pulled away saying, “I’m heading out, Willow. Tell William I’ll call him later.”
Nodding, Willow said, “I will. Thanks for stopping by.”
Rory said, “Sure.”
Willow added wickedly, “Tell mom hi for me when you go home, Rory.”
Rory grinned and ran a hand through his hair saying, “Bye, Willow.”
Grinning broader, Willow said, “Bye.”
William showed up shortly after Rory left, asking, “You too have a nice visit?” Willow nodded and said with a smile, “Yeah. I embarrassed him—busted him on his sleepovers at moms.”
William grinned and said, “Girl you are ornery.”
Grinning back, Willow said, “I know.”
Two Weeks Later…
Lying awake in bed Friday night, Willow said, “William? You awake?”
William said, “Mmmm.” Willow turned to him and nudging him sweetly she said, “William? We need to talk.” William opened his eyes and said, “Will…it’s late.”
Willow said, “I know…but…” seeing he was mostly asleep, Willow smiled and said, “I just had a bad dream. It’s nothing, go back to sleep.”
William said, “Come here, love.” He reached for Willow and she gladly moved closer, laying her head on his chest and feeling his strong arm going around her. She would tell him later when they had time…when they weren’t asleep! She’d waited two weeks, a few more hours wouldn’t hurt. She let herself go back to sleep.
Willow got up at around nine, dressed in jeans and a Don’t You Just Wish T-shirt, and walked to the couch with her can of Dew. She waited until William came out and smiling, she said “Morning.” William walked to Willow and pulling her up into his arms he kissed her saying, “Good morning, Will.” Willow held him there with her arms around his neck, kissing him again and again. William lowered his mouth to Willow’s neck and said with a laugh, “Again?”
Wanting to, badly but needing to talk first, Willow said, “I want to, yes, but we need to talk first…”
William grinned and kissing alluringly down her neck, then backing up a little he looked up, those sexy blue eyes of his looking so sincere as he said, “I’m hearing ya, Will. Talk to me.”
Willow walked up against him, intimately and gulping her neediness in a swallow of hot saliva, Willow said breathlessly, “Later…” Glancing hotly into his eyes, then at his appealing mouth, Willow unbuttoned her jeans, pushing them down with her panties. William kissed her quickly, needfully, and he picked her up into his arms and carrying her to the bedroom, he lowered her on the sheets and made love with her…
Lying in his arms later, happy and feeling special, Willow grinned and kissing his body, said, “Mmmm…I feel good.”
William smiled and kissing her he said, “Good. I do too.” Kissing each other, they lay on the white covered bed.
Willow said, “I really do need to talk to you about something…” Kissing his tanned stomach, she said, “But I like this more right now…”
William said, “I like it too…but I’m listening Will.” He kissed her mouth sexily.
Willow kissed him back, feeling the surges returning to pull him on top of her and make love again, Willow pulled back swearing saying, “No! I have to focus.”
William moved to a sitting position, gauging the intensity in her voice and said, “Okay. What is it love?”
Willow looked over at him and said, “Drusilla.”
William chilled over that name and found himself throwing on clothes, saying, “What about her?”
Willow moved a strand of her hair behind her ear and said, “A couple weeks ago, I had a dream…she was there. Eerily she was there to talk to me.” Seeing his movements had Willow nervously throwing her clothes on, wishing she had never had the damn dream. Willow followed him out of the bedroom into the living room saying, “She told me…” here comes the emotions. But Willow couldn’t help it. He was walking away from her as if trying to ignore what happened. She followed him saying through tears, “She told me…that I better enjoy what I have with you because…she isn’t done. Whatever the hell that meant. My guess is she wants to kill me and take you back.”
William took a drink of a Dew and looking at Willow he said, “She’s not going to hurt you, Will, or change what we have. She sure as hell isn’t getting me back.”
Willow said, “Five months ago I’d have laughed her off, and if given the chance, beaten the crap out of her…but now… William she is beautiful. I felt like a school girl in the dream talking to a glamour girl with a voluptuous figure that I lack…I’ve never been stunning.”
William said, “You are beautiful, Willow, ten times the woman that Dru was.”
Smiling, Willow said, “Thank you, but I think you are biased.”
Shrugging, William said, “Maybe so.” He smiled at her and caught her smile back. It didn’t last though. Willow said, “I think she’s planning to come to Sunnydale, William. I’m serious about that.”
William said, “If she comes, she’ll regret it, Will. I’ll stake her.”
Willow’s eyes grew wide and she said, “She was your girl for years.” William shook his head and said, “She was a deceiver, Will. She led me on, while fooling around with other men…and me. When I found out…” William paused and said, “I let her continue to sleep with me and treat me however she wanted just to be with her…like a damn idiot.”
Willow touched his face and said, “I’m sorry.”
Returning to the present, William framed Will’s face and said, “You have no reason to be sorry, Willow. Drusilla McCall was my choice, a long time ago.” Pulling Willow close, he added, “I am in love with you, Willow. That girl comes here and tries anything to hurt you or our unborn child and she becomes dust. Meantime, you don’t worry about her. She is my past mistake, something I will deal with if it happens. You focus on staying healthy, taking it easy. Let me take care of that mess. It’s not for you to concern yourself over at all.” He smiled.
Willow would have smiled at him, had he not tried to exclude her just then, trying to pacify her. Willow said coolly, “Your mistake?” Nodding just like a man who didn’t’ see her anger, William said, “Yeah. Mine.” What happened to them working through things together? Willow thought sadly.
Willow moved away from him saying, “I’ll do what you suggest, William. I’ll focus on staying healthy…at mom’s. Tidy up your mess since I’m obviously separate from it.”
William said, “Will…I never meant it like that.”
Willow held up a hand and said, “You can find me there…when you realize I am actually a part of this.” Storming to the front door, Willow walked out, slamming it behind her. She focused on her walk, to mom’s.
Not bothering to knock, Willow stormed inside. Calling out, Willow said through her tears, “Mom…It’s me…Willow.”
Summary: Everything comes together as William follows Willow to her mom’s. William gets to face someone he never thought he’d have to again…
A/N: Thank you Marit for all your wonderful feedback to this fic!
Spoilers: None!
Part Twenty-One—Compartmentalizing
Mallory and Rory walked into the living room watching as Willow kicked off her shoes and paced. Mallory said, “I take it you’re mad?” Willow turned, the fire in her blue eyes turning them to green as they did Rory’s as she said, “Livid, mom. Mad was me at home. I’ve grown past that.”
Rory asked, “What happened?”
Willow glared at him and said, “You told me to talk to William about my dreams?” Nodding, Rory said, “Yeah. It’s good to do that, Willow. Especially in that circumstance.”
Willow went off in another direction spouting, “The gall of him!” Throwing unbreakable things, kicking others, she went on, “When we dated, I understood there were things about his life that were his. I accepted being separate from it…but I am his wife now…and I was pulled into this twist whether he likes to admit it or not. It was me that she went to in dreams!”
Mallory said, “You saw Drusilla? Why would she go to you?” Rory said, “Mal…”
Shaking her head, Willow said while offhandedly wiping tears, “No…it’s fine. Drusilla’s interested, I believe, in getting back with William—or as she seems him, Spike. It hurts to think…he doesn’t see me as part of this situation.” Looking at her hands she added, “It’s like before…it’s like he is so determined to forget that life that when it returns and as it is now, me being the one who has the dream, he can’t include me.”
Rory said, “He’s ashamed of it.”
Willow’s eyes filled with more tears and combating them with fury, she said, “There is too much of a history between us for him to worry about that. I know about those days. I’ve seen his stuff and smelled his old blood containers.” Receiving surprise, she said, “Oh yeah. The point is, I can’t deal with this on top of what I am facing. I have enough insecurities of my own. Drusilla…she is beautiful. Not pregnant. And she wants him.” Burning over his wanting to discard her with this part of his life, she fumed, “Damn him!” She took off for the backyard. Mallory soon followed Willow outside to talk with her.
William drove over to Mallory's and got decked in the face. By his friend.
William punched Rory back, and Rory knew his lip was busted open and the sting and wet told him he was bleeding from it too. Great. He wiped his mouth, and continued edgily, “It seems your past is here, but you can’t face it."
William seethed, “Go to hell, Rory. You have no idea where this is coming from or what's going on, so don't fucking tell me what I can't face!”
Rory was shaking mad and protective of Willow, but seeing William's expression he said simply, "You screwed up this time, William.”
William said, “I know!” Feeling guilty as hell for this and hearing it from his best friend, William added miserably, "I know….”
Rory looked across at William and replied, “You know, so take a stand. Call out that whore, set her straight. Tell her how things are with you and Will."
William turned and said with a curse, "Look I know you are pissed because of what happened but I will handle this the way I need to, Rory. I've handled conflicts with Dru for years so I think I know how to handle it this time, thank you."
Hearing the outright egotism, Rory reacted and punched William again, harder, and William took a good fall back from the punch.
By the time Mallory and Willow walked back in, William was holding his jaw, Rory wiping blood from his mouth.
Willow said flatly, “What is going on here?”
William said, "Nothing, Will. Just a fight, something that we needed to do."
Rory glared back at William and said, "Yeah, it was definitely needed."
Willow said, "Well stop it!" Both guys and Mallory looked at Willow. Willow looked at William and saw his jaw and eye and said, "Fighting because I'm here isn't going to change anything." She looked at Rory and showed how it wasn't what she liked.
A thought of getting hers in was so strong, though, that Willow walked to William and said, “You followed me over here.”
William said, “I did. Willow we need to talk.” Willow said, “So let’s talk.” Rory offered to leave and so did Mallory but Willow wanted them there. They stayed with her, in the room.
William said, “Drusilla was a part of my past. Mine. It is separate from my love for you. It was a mistake I made and is now a mess I have to deal with.”
Hurt and angry, Willow forgot what she said earlier and took the opportunity before her, while he was haunched against the wall, to punch him in the mouth. She watched him stagger back and said, “William I don't understand this. I don't. We make love, sharing everything together. You're my best friend. You tell me you love me, and I know you do...as long as I don’t get involved in your past."
William let out a low breath and said, "Willow..."
Willow held her arms and felt her stomach's burning pain as she said through tears, "When we married, you told me enemies could come here from Europe and I told you we’d fight them together, together, William. You seemed okay with it then, but deep down you still have a life that you choose to hide from me and I don't understand it.”
William said, “Willow…that isn’t true. I told you about Drusilla, about my relationship about my past, about all of it.”
Willow said, “Yeah, you did. But I didn’t see until now that there was more to this history than I knew. I think…I think I need to stay here tonight. You…have issues to work through. Serious love ones. You say you love me? Love isn't part time, it means you want to share everything with me, even the bad stuff, William. Even the scary stuff."
William replied dryly, "I thought I had..."
Willow shook her head and wiped tears saying, "No, you haven't. And I can't live with you if you can't be honest wtih me. I'm sorry." Crying more, Willow added, "What's going on with Drusilla, William? Why can't you talk to me about her? Is it because you still love her?"
William slid his fingers into his hair and said, "Will...I don't love Dru...it's not the same...it's a jumbled twisted mess."
Willow glared and said, "Maybe it is, but I married you, ready to handle whatever jumbled messes came along. I didn't do it just because you looked sexy or because it sounded good. I did it because I loved you! I still love you." Wiping her face she said, "And you hurt me really badly earlier by saying what you did."
William's heart took that kick and he said wreckishly, "Willow I'm sorry..."
Letting out another huge breath, Willow sat and said, "I think I know what's going on, William. I think you still love her to some degree, even if it's not good. And I think that you're denying it and not wanting to face it, but now you don't have a choice and seeing me in the same place is confusing. So I'm going to stay here for now and let you deal with this mess since you want that," she snapped firmly.
Willow started to leave the room. William said sorrowfully, "Willow..."
Willow cried and moved quickly to him, saying, “Damn you!” Grabbing him to his feet with her warrior skills, and his lack of go, Willow kissed him deeply, then opening the front door, she drop kicked him out of it and said, “Decide who you want, William. You want me, be ready to start including me in things -- all things. Choose her, be ready to say goodbye to us. Then get ready for one hell of a fight when I dust your sorry ass.” She slammed the door and ran upstairs.
Willow shut the door to her bedroom and watched from her bedroom window as William drove away, feeling tears falling and her heart breaking. Willow wanted to get dressed up in black and go after Drusilla herself! Had he given her that chance, they could have fought her together…now…now it would be seen as desperation. Willow sad mad, “I am not desperate! I might be a lot of things…that isn’t one of them.”
Rory knocked on the door and Willow said, “Come in.”
Rory walked in and saw as Willow turned, he saw the tears and wanted to kill William. He said, “Sit with me a minute, Will.”
Nodding, Willow sat on her bed with him and he said, “Somehow I think this is my fault. I told you to tell him about your dream.”
Shaking her head, Willow said, “No…it wasn’t. It’s a combination of things…”
Rory said, “I’m going to ask you something. You can tell me to go to hell, that it isn’t my business.”
Willow grinned and said, “Okay.”
Rory continued, “Are you in love with Spike?”
Willow said, “Rory, he isn’t Spike…he’s William.”
Rory said, “I didn’t think so.”
Willow said, “I’m confused.”
Rory said, “When you look at me what do you see?”
Willow said, “I see Rory.”
Rory grinned and said, “True. But there are several things that make me Rory Parker. I was my parents only son, I went to school, graduated, met your mother, fell in love with her. Together we shared a love that was strong enough to create you. I made mistakes, major ones as well as small ones. I’ve taken lives in battles. I met and fought Spike, then became his friend. I was a leader of men for years, fought in countless battles. Now I am a dad, a warrior, and a boyfriend again to your mother. So there are a lot of things that make me who I am. William was a boy to a mom and a dad who was never around except to treat him like shit. He went to school, had loves and losses and was tempted, just like you have been in your life. I cant read his mind, but as his friend, I can tell you that Drusilla didn’t come across as a bloody vampire when first meeting her. She was beautiful and convincing. He hadn’t had any girlfriends—not any real loves—but he fell hard for her. She led him on and watched with a smile as he fell.”
Willow said, “But he said that they were hot for awhile. How did that come about?”
Rory gave her a long look and said, “When he became hers, when she turned him, he dated her. They were tight for years when I met Spike. I’m guessing decades. Willow he will always love her. It isn’t the same love he feels for you, but she was his first love. You don’t forget your first. She may have duped him and treated him terribly, but he still chose to be with her once.”
Willow said, “I'm not a cold person, Rory. I know that he had a relationship with her and I'm cool with that...I just feel that as his wife I should be part of what's going on. It's part of marriage."
Rory said, “You're right. It should be. But if you want that inclusion, Willow, then you have to face him as Spike.”
She'd not faced him or talked much about his Spike days. She'd just gone on with the man he was now. THat wasn't right, Willow thought. It wasn't being fair. And that could explain part of why he wasn't talking to her about it now. Feeling guilty and knowing Rory was right here, Willow said, “You’re right.”
Walking to her closet that still held a few outfits in it, she grabbed out a black shirt that she liked, it was one of his. The one he cut for her. She said, “Please turn for a minute.” Rory did and she put on her other shirt. Grabbing weapons from the top of the closet that she’d left here also, Willow armed herself, knuckle rapper and all. Looking at him she added, “I love him and there is no way I’m letting some tramp from Transylvania take what is mine.”
Rory said, “That wasn’t what I meant…”
Nodding, Willow said, “I heard you, Rory. I am going to dress up and go face Spike, then together with him go after Drusilla. He can’t turn me away…or I hope he doesn’t’ anyway.”
Rory took a look at her and said, “I’m driving you over there.”
Willow said, “Fine.” Going to him she hugged him and said, “I love you.”
Rory said, “I love you too. Now come on.”
Rory said as they walked into the living room, “You will want to pull your hair up. Dru is famous for fights with hair. I’ve watched it.” He said, “One more thing.” He reached into his wallet where he kept personal things and pulling out one, he said, “Lift your hair.” When Willow did he put it around her neck and hooked it. He said, “The bitch gets close, you show her this cross and see how fast she backs away. Ask William for some garlic…something tells me he knows where to find some.”
Willow said, “If William doesn’t, Spike will. He’s who I am after today anyway.”
Mallory walked into the room and said, “Going back home?”
Nodding, Willow said, “Yes, I am, mom. Rory’s right…I can’t love him if I don’t love all of him. I don’t love what he did, but I love him. Vampire and all.”
Seeing her weapons, Mallory said, “You aren’t fighting Drusilla are you?”
Willow said, “If it comes to it, yes. I am.”
Mallory said, “You could end up hurt.” Willow said, “I could. But I could end up worse if I stay home and be a good girl. Doing that I’m telling her that she can have him and I won’t fight. Not that he can’t stand up to her, I believe he can, and he will, but I have to be strong too. I have to make it known that I am…Spike’s wife. No one gets to sleep with him but me! And if I want him to talk to me about everything then I have to be open about talking about it too.”
Rory said, “One more thing, Willow. I’m staying with you, outside, until you patch things up. When I know you are inside with him, that things are okay, I’ll go.”
Willow said, “Rory…”
Rory said levelly, “Willow…I don’t doubt you are strong, but Drusilla is vindictive and she could be lurking…waiting to get you alone.”
On adrenaline, Willow spat, “I hope she is! Let her take a swing and see what she gets. I’m not some impish school girl she can get in her clutches and bite. I am a warrior and if she chooses to take me on, she may get a swing or two but I will win. I was trained by a fierce warrior to fight to the death. That’s what I will do if necessary.”
Rory grinned at Willow and met Mallory’s unhappy face and turning to Willow he said with that grin, “Okay Zena, let’s go.” Looking at Mallory he said, “Lock up.”
Willow walked up the few steps to the front door of her house and paused before unlocking the door with her key. Opening the door, she shut it and locked it searching for her husband. When he wasn’t where she could find him, she said, “William?”
William said, “In here.”
Willow met him in the kitchen and sitting across from him, both she and he said together, “I’m sorry.”
William said, “I should have included you, it was you who had the dreams. I’m sorry, Willow.”
Willow said, “We’ll go into that later. I owe you a bigger apology. I found it easy to love you as William and discard the other part of you that exists. I didn’t want to face it. It was scary, I didn’t’ understand it, and I didn’t want to.”
William said, “I knew that, Will, and I accepted it.”
Willow said, “It was wrong of me. I love you, William. I love all your good and your bad sides, who you were at mom's house earlier, who you are at the table now. I know that…so…” letting out a deep breath, she said, “In order to face the other issues we talked about today, I have to do this.” Giving him an inquiring look, she said, “I know you were a vampire, I know that you did things that you regret now and that have stayed with you as painful memories. I love you, as Spike -- the troubled person you were -- and William the strong person you are now, accepting that you are the same person.” Seeing him nod, Willow said, "I know you don’t suck blood, but it was who you were. You've changed now, true, but it was who you were for over a hundred years. Drusilla had a great guy and she blew it. I don't want to blow it, William, not like that, not without fighting first and proving that I love you -- all of you.”
William admired Willow now as he said, “You've not blown anything, Will. You've made me think about things...the truth is I did love her, very much, and a part of me still cares for her. I can’t explain it. I guess it is because we were together as long as we were. But I love you, Willow. You are my life, everything to me. I didn’t include you because I didn’t want to lose you. My life has a history of loss. I lost my mother to vampires—no not me—but others. My dad was a bastard who was never there. I felt strong as Spike. I felt I had my own rules and I could do what I wanted and fuck the others who didn’t like it. I led a group of villains, hung with them, and did what I wanted, using that power to my own liking. I did this with Drusilla at my side, as my girl. We were together for…oh…twenty years, which to a vampire isn’t much more than a half a dozen, but to a human it seems like a lot. Anyway, I let that life consume me and became a horror that people dreaded. When everything crumbled around me…Drusilla told me that I wasn’t giving her what she needed anymore…I started seeing her sleeping around with her latest lover…Angel…I let her go, then I turned into myself and became bitter. Lives quit meaning a damn thing to me and women…they were there for my enjoyment. Except I didn’t enjoy them…not really. I kept seeing her face. So I accepted that they were merely one night stands. Rory met some of them…he knew that I was a mess. Despite what he stood for and what I did we became friends. The powers gave me back my life, saying I was turned at a time when I was at my lowest…and I was. For the next five years I had dreams of vamping and had to wake up feeling my heart to see that it beat. Looking in the bathroom mirror at hotels to be sure I had a reflection…It’s been seven years since that life and still it haunts me.”
Willow took his hand with hers and said, “Whenever it haunts you, or you have nights like that, tell me. We'll sit and get through it together.”
William said, “It bothers me seeing her again. You want the truth, there it is.”
Willow said, “I know. Or I knew it was something. I thought you still loved her like you love me.”
Shaking his head, William said, “No. I love you, Willow. You and only you. A small part of my heart holds a few nice memories. Part of me will care for her even after I dust her. It will hurt to a degree.”
Willow nodded and said, “It would hurt.” Taking his hands with hers, Willow added, “You don’t have to dust her. You could just scare her off…or I could.”
William said with a sigh, “No…I have to finish this. Otherwise she'd just keep coming back. Dru is like that, Willow. She's got a bone to reach for and she will keep trying for it till she's stopped. I will stop her. Just don’t’ expect me to be feeling too good after for awhile.”
Willow said, “I’ll be here to listen to whatever you have to say and to be your friend.”
William said, “Just your friend?”
Feeling the heat rising in her and gauging it was four in the afternoon, Willow smiled large and slyly said, “Just a sec....” She went to the front door and gave Rory the okay to go.
Then locking back up, setting the alarm, she walked to the kitchen, not seeing him at first. She said, “William?” Feeling him behind her, naked, Willow said, “Oh…you are mean.” She chuckled and William laughed with her.
William leaned his head down and kissed her neck, from behind, while slipping his hands up her shirt, finding her bra closure and opening it, taking it off, then sliding his hands beneath her shirt to her breasts. Willow sighed and said, “William…oh…again!”
William held her breasts and nicely moved his fingers and hands around them. Willow opened her mouth and breathed out, "Oh!" Grabbing his hands she helped him touch her breasts and the air in the room was more than warm, it was volcanic.
He moved his hands over her jeans, at the crotch area. Willow rubbed her body against him, not long later moving quickly with her waist, saying, “I want you.” Turning to William, Willow said "I want you, William, without my clothes in the way."
William touched Willow's face and said, "I want you too." He leaned forward and kissed Willow. Unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans, William took them off, he took off her panties and putting his hands over her butt her moved her to his hardness. Willow looked up and moaned, opening her legs so she could feel his raised penis against her.
She kissed his neck and said, “Oh I can’t get enough of this…” she kissed his shoulders, rubbing against his erection, then kissing his mouth needy, Willow touched his crotch, then took his hand and touched it to hers and frantically moving his fingers over her wet and randy body, Willow gasped out loud, "I need it...oh please William give it to me."
Touching her in the same spot she liked, William kissed her neck and lips and heard her pleased cry. He felt as her orgasm shared itself with his hand and he kissed her again.
Climbing onto the bed, Willow smiled at William and saw his smile back. She said, "That was really nice." She kissed William and he smiled and said, "How about we make it nicer?"
Willow slid closer to her husband and happily embracing with him she said, "I like that idea."...
Later that night, William and Willow decked in black, drove out to the cemetery. Holding hands, William moved to her and kissed her, saying, “I love you, Willow.”
Willow held his face close and casually let her lips grasp his, taking his mouth and giving him some of hers. She moved closer to him and letting him wrap around her she said, “I love you…It is so easy for me to get…really…horny.”
William chuckled and kissing her neck he said, “After the battle…we’ll go someplace and I’ll give you and me both what we need. Deal?”
Nodding, Willow said, “Deal….” She tried to pull away, but couldn’t and found herself pulling him close and kissing him again, needing to taste his kisses and feel his body against hers. All but in tears, Willow said, “Oh William…these needs are so outrageous.”
William touched her and said, “I know, Will, but we have to do this first.”
Agreeing, Willow climbed out and walking with Spike, she and he headed to the cemetery…where the tall slender brunette stood waiting….
Willow watched as Drusilla moved across the ground toward Spike saying, “Ooh…Spike. You’ve changed your appearance some, but you are still all male sophistication and needs. Let me get a look at you.”
Spike said, “Look if you want but it will get you nowhere. You see this girl beside me? She is mine and I am hers.”
Glancing carelessly, Drusilla said, “The school girl? Come on, Spike. You don't need her. Not when you can have me."
Spike moved forward at her saying, “Your tricks don't work on a guy who's danced with you for over two decades. They would for others, I suppose, but not me.”
Drusilla grinned widely and said, “Ooh! You think so?"
Spike got closer and said, "I know so."
Shoving her back against a brick wall he said, "I know so."
Dru took this as fun and said with a happy grin, "I like it when you get wild. Are you going to raise my dress and show me how wild you can get? I bet you can't get as hard with her as you could with me. Let me show you."
Not choosing to wait for that disgusting opportunity, Spike decked her, sending her to the ground. She made whiny sounds and said, “Oh Spike…you are mean.” Grinning up at him she said, “I like it. I can be mean too.” Standing she attempted to kick him, he blocked it and turning her the right direction, he looked into her eyes and said, “I loved you, Drusilla. You killed it with dishonesty and screwing around. I’ve met someone else.”
Drusilla punched him in the mouth and said, “Bastard!” She started fighting him as he expected, taking swings and kicks, some missing by large degrees, a few knocking him down, and he fought back. Willow stood guard for any other attempters and watched.
Grabbing her by the hair of her head, he shoved her against a tomb, then turning her around just as fast he staked her, watching her turn to dust in front of him.
Putting up the front he needed to in order to leave here, Spike said, “Good riddance. Come on, love. Let’s go home.”
Willow put an arm around his waist and leaning against him. Willow walked with Spike to the car. She broke the rules that night and drove them home, knowing he couldn’t.
Once inside the house with the door locked, the alarm on, Willow moved into his arms, holding him, then walking with him into the living room she sat with him on the couch and said, “Talk to me.”
Spike looked away and said through emotion, “I don’t know what to say to explain how I feel right now.”
Nodding, Willow got on her knees beside him and wrapping her arms around his neck, she reached out to hold him and felt his arms going around her waist. She heard him fighting it and said, “Let it go…it’s okay to cry.”
It wasn't entirely Dru's death that hurt. It was the immense pain she'd caused him over the years, lying ot him and treating him like she did. Tonight, however, it toppled, it all crushed inside him as a huge realization of how incredibly raw and hurt he could feel again after all this time. Years away, life continuing, William didn't think that he could give a damn that she'd duped him like she did. But he was wrong. It did hurt. It hurt like hell.
The moment she felt him break down and cry, Willow clung tighter, and in the end, she cried with him...
