The Dance, an angel fanfic

Title: The Dance

Disclaimer: Joss's characters, my story, Garth Brooks' Lyrics

Rating: K+

Paring: Fred/Wesley

Timeline: After 'A Hole in The World.'

Synopsis: Wesley reflects back to a night spent dancing in the rain.

Dedication: To all the Fred/Wesley lovers out there

Wesley stared at the small trunk. Tears filled his eyes as he genteelly opened it, part of him feeling that if he did this, if he placed all of these things away forever, that it would make it real. That it would be permanent. That it meant she was never coming back.

He took at deep breath and began sorting through her things, preparing to lock them away forever. First things he found were Fred's CD's. As he lifted the dusty case up and placed it in the trunk, it fell open. The first CD Wesley saw was Garth Brooks's "The Dance."

Fred laughed as she pulled Wesley's hand. "Come on," she said.

"This is crazy," said Wesley. "We'll get pneumonia."

"Don't be a spoil sport," said Fred. She pulled him out of the car and cranked up the radio to it's loudest.

The cool rain poured down on them as the words and the sweet melody of the song filled their ears.

"Looking back

On the memories of

The dance we shared

Beneath the stars above."

Fred put her arms around Wesley's neck and he wrapped his around her waist. "I love this song," she whispered as she laid her head on his shoulder. The rain drenched them as they danced, holding each other close.

"And now

I'm glad I didn't know

The way it all would end

The way it all would go."

"Our lives

Are better left to chance

I could have missed the pain

But I would have to miss

The dance."

Fred and Wesley huddled together under the blanket back at Wesley's apartment, trying to get warm. "I'm drenched," said Wesley.

"So am I," Fred responded.

"Yes," said Wesley, "but you look cute wet." Fred blushed as Wesley smiled at her. "I, on the under hand," he continued, "look like a prune."

Fred laughed and took his hand. She examined it briefly and smiled. "Yeah," she said. "You kind of do."

"At least you're honest." Said Wesley.

Their eyes met. They drew closer together under the blanket, and they kissed.

Even though they both had a cold after that, Wesley knew he would never trade that moment. That dance in the rain. A moment of perfection that wouldn't be shattered.

Wesley closed the CD case and placed it in the trunk. As he did this, he quietly whispered the chorus.