Title: Quiet Words
Series: Olympus Helping 1
Author: Angelbach
Email: angelbachuk@yahoo.co.uk
Rating: English PG
Category: W/A
Disclaimer: The characters of Willow, Angel, Spike and others belong to
Joss Whedon and Grr-Argh. Although if Angel and Spike ever wanted to stay
with me, I'd never turn them down!!! (All other characters belong to me!
[Isn't that nice of them!!!!!])
Notes: This is what happens when you get stuck on a British Rail train for
over two hours longer than you should be!! :)
.. = Ven's thoughts. *.. * = Her sister's thoughts.
**************************************************************************** *****
"Hi there, something wrong?"
Willow turned round to find a beautiful young woman looking at her with concerned eyes. A puzzled look went through her own green eyes as she suddenly felt as if she knew her, and in that same moment knew she could trust her.
"Yes, I mean no."
"You're not sure I take it, so your problem must be a man." It was accompanied by a musical laugh. "Want to talk to an unbiased stranger?"
"Actually yes. If you want to listen that is..." Willow moved along her seat a little and the woman sat down beside her.
"Sweetheart, when a girl looks like you did a moment ago, I'm always ready to listen." The other woman replied.
*The fact that it's your job doesn't hurt either, does it! *
Shut up, sister!
"So what's your problem...?"
The redhead sighed, looking down at her hands. "I suppose you could say I have a problem with a man. It's more like my life."
"Then describe the man to me." It came out more as a command than a request. "Let me see him through your eyes."
The normally bright green eyes suddenly turned dreamy and it was obvious to the closely watching blonde, she didn't even know it had happened.
"He's... well, tall, fit, gorgeously, even dangerously handsome. Dark eyes that remind you of molten chocolate. Dark brown hair that makes you want to run your fingers through it again and again. He's gentle, caring but he's strong, powerful. Sometimes he wear it like a shield, others, he tries to hide in the shadows but never from me. And he listens to you. I don't mean just what you say but what you don't say."
"Go on, Willow." The older woman said softly, laying her hand on hers.
"He listens to me. Sometimes I think he's the only person that does. Especially since he came back from... from Hell. We... we seem to talk with out using words. He's been there for me when no-one else has even wanted to know."
"And you've been there for him, haven't you Willow." The elder woman's voice grew even softer. "Every nightmare, stopping him brooding."
"He needed someone." Willow's eyes started to clear a slight blush in her pale cheeks.
"He needed you." Simple but the truth. "You're in love with him and he's in love with you."
"But... but he can't. I can't!" Willow almost wailed, paling as she jumped to her feet and moved away. "I can't be. I just can't!"
"Why not?"
"Because he's Buffy's... and I have Oz."
"Is he, Willow? Do you?"
"No! I mean, Yes! Oh Goddess, I'm so confused, I don't understand." Willow literally collapsed to the ground, her eyes shimmering with tears as she looked back at the woman.
*So what are you going to do now? You're going to have to admit to knowing more than you should... if you were a real stranger. *
Play it by ear of course. It's what I do best after all and there's nothing else I can do. I can't let her be broken by this, not now the pair of them are almost on the right path.
*That's why we decided you were the best person for the job, remember. *
Like you said, love is my job!
*Don't gloat! *
Then butt out and leave me to it!
Steeling herself, she turned her mind back to the girl before her. "Willow child..."
Willow was visibly pulling herself. Hearing her name, she rose and returned to the seat, looking at the woman however with pain-filled eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall apart like that. It's not me."
The elder woman immediately took one of her hands in her own, ignoring the feeling of disbelief and amazement being sent to her by her invisible companion. Her own gaze was tinged with growing respect for this petite redhead and a little shocked by the amount of power running through her.
"Sweetheart, I just threw you a ball right out of left field. You're entitled to feel that wee bit wiggy, I'd say."
"I've got a question though."
"Then shoot."
"How do you know my name? I haven't told you it."
*Oops! Have we slipped up! *
SHUT UP!
"Let's just I wasn't quite honest when I first spoke to you."
"Meaning..." Willow completely confused, asked. Even though her emotional senses were in turmoil, her newly awakened Wiccan senses were still telling her that this woman could be trusted.
"Have you ever heard of the Powers That Be?"
"Yes, Angel mentioned them in connection with this demon guide he has. Whistler." She smiled suddenly, her whole face lighting up as she mentioned the vampire before the sadness returned once more.
"Let's just say I'm sort of connected to them."
*There's an understatement! *
"Oh! OH!" Willow replied, her brow creasing slightly. "But that still doesn't explain how you know my name."
"We know all about the Scooby Gang, Willow, thanks to Whistler. In fact, if I'm honest, we're rather proud of you all." She squeezed Willow's hand. "You don't find very many mortals fighting evil these days, I can tell you."
"Huh!"
"A conversation for another day, I think." The older woman replied smoothly. "We're severely off track, so back to what we we're talking about."
"I'm not sure..." Willow began.
"Uh uh! Sweetheart, way too late to back out now." She grinned. "Time to swim. Can I ask you something?"
"Well, I suppose so." Willow replied, eyes widening. "What?"
"Has the Slayer returned?"
Willow shook herself, turning slightly away and when she spoke her voice was tense. "No."
"Then why did you refer to him as Buffy's. From what I gather, he hasn't been hers since that stupid original curse was broken."
"But... but isn't that why he was sent back from Hell." Willow was becoming totally confused. "Because Buffy needed him."
"My dear child, how can a person be sent back for someone who isn't even in the same town? Let alone the same state. Especially that selfish chit. Quite frankly, he was sent back because YOU needed him."
*Couldn't you find a bigger sledgehammer to hit the poor girl with! *
For once, subtly is a total bummer. Live with it!
*That's news to me. I didn't think you even knew what the word meant! *
Hah! Remind me to laugh later.
"He was sent back for me!!" The redhead exclaimed incredulously.
"Have you noticed him hanging around anyone else since he got back from that awful place Acathla took him to?"
"Well, no, but I just thought that was because..."
The woman laid a finger on her lips. "Willow, Angel wouldn't protect you just because you restored his soul permanently. Believe me, my dear. He has deep feelings for you."
"But Buffy?"
"Child, she has rescinded her part in this play of life." The woman replied almost harshly. "Let her go, Willow. Holding onto the hope that she will return will only hurt you."
Willow swallowed her heart heavy. "I just can't do that."
"Try my girl. I know it's not in your nature, but I really advise trying." She patted her cheek gently. "Now to your other problem. Do you really believe you are still in love with Oz.?"
Willow blushed violently and lowered her gaze. "No." She said in a low voice.
"Good because you may be about to find out something about him you really won't like." She rose suddenly. "Now I have to go. Think about what I've said Willow and go let that handsome vampire of yours know about the state of his soul."
She started to walk away, leaving a stunned redhead behind her. The small girl only just pulled herself together as she was almost out of hearing. "But what's your name?"
"You can call me Ven." The soft reply came floating back. "Dusk is coming, Willow. You know the risks. Go home."
When Willow looked for her again, she was gone. In the same moment, two words floated to the forefront of her mind. "Soul permanently."
Seconds later, she was gone.
.. = Ven's thoughts. *.. * = Her sister's thoughts.
**************************************************************************** *****
"Hi there, something wrong?"
Willow turned round to find a beautiful young woman looking at her with concerned eyes. A puzzled look went through her own green eyes as she suddenly felt as if she knew her, and in that same moment knew she could trust her.
"Yes, I mean no."
"You're not sure I take it, so your problem must be a man." It was accompanied by a musical laugh. "Want to talk to an unbiased stranger?"
"Actually yes. If you want to listen that is..." Willow moved along her seat a little and the woman sat down beside her.
"Sweetheart, when a girl looks like you did a moment ago, I'm always ready to listen." The other woman replied.
*The fact that it's your job doesn't hurt either, does it! *
Shut up, sister!
"So what's your problem...?"
The redhead sighed, looking down at her hands. "I suppose you could say I have a problem with a man. It's more like my life."
"Then describe the man to me." It came out more as a command than a request. "Let me see him through your eyes."
The normally bright green eyes suddenly turned dreamy and it was obvious to the closely watching blonde, she didn't even know it had happened.
"He's... well, tall, fit, gorgeously, even dangerously handsome. Dark eyes that remind you of molten chocolate. Dark brown hair that makes you want to run your fingers through it again and again. He's gentle, caring but he's strong, powerful. Sometimes he wear it like a shield, others, he tries to hide in the shadows but never from me. And he listens to you. I don't mean just what you say but what you don't say."
"Go on, Willow." The older woman said softly, laying her hand on hers.
"He listens to me. Sometimes I think he's the only person that does. Especially since he came back from... from Hell. We... we seem to talk with out using words. He's been there for me when no-one else has even wanted to know."
"And you've been there for him, haven't you Willow." The elder woman's voice grew even softer. "Every nightmare, stopping him brooding."
"He needed someone." Willow's eyes started to clear a slight blush in her pale cheeks.
"He needed you." Simple but the truth. "You're in love with him and he's in love with you."
"But... but he can't. I can't!" Willow almost wailed, paling as she jumped to her feet and moved away. "I can't be. I just can't!"
"Why not?"
"Because he's Buffy's... and I have Oz."
"Is he, Willow? Do you?"
"No! I mean, Yes! Oh Goddess, I'm so confused, I don't understand." Willow literally collapsed to the ground, her eyes shimmering with tears as she looked back at the woman.
*So what are you going to do now? You're going to have to admit to knowing more than you should... if you were a real stranger. *
Play it by ear of course. It's what I do best after all and there's nothing else I can do. I can't let her be broken by this, not now the pair of them are almost on the right path.
*That's why we decided you were the best person for the job, remember. *
Like you said, love is my job!
*Don't gloat! *
Then butt out and leave me to it!
Steeling herself, she turned her mind back to the girl before her. "Willow child..."
Willow was visibly pulling herself. Hearing her name, she rose and returned to the seat, looking at the woman however with pain-filled eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall apart like that. It's not me."
The elder woman immediately took one of her hands in her own, ignoring the feeling of disbelief and amazement being sent to her by her invisible companion. Her own gaze was tinged with growing respect for this petite redhead and a little shocked by the amount of power running through her.
"Sweetheart, I just threw you a ball right out of left field. You're entitled to feel that wee bit wiggy, I'd say."
"I've got a question though."
"Then shoot."
"How do you know my name? I haven't told you it."
*Oops! Have we slipped up! *
SHUT UP!
"Let's just I wasn't quite honest when I first spoke to you."
"Meaning..." Willow completely confused, asked. Even though her emotional senses were in turmoil, her newly awakened Wiccan senses were still telling her that this woman could be trusted.
"Have you ever heard of the Powers That Be?"
"Yes, Angel mentioned them in connection with this demon guide he has. Whistler." She smiled suddenly, her whole face lighting up as she mentioned the vampire before the sadness returned once more.
"Let's just say I'm sort of connected to them."
*There's an understatement! *
"Oh! OH!" Willow replied, her brow creasing slightly. "But that still doesn't explain how you know my name."
"We know all about the Scooby Gang, Willow, thanks to Whistler. In fact, if I'm honest, we're rather proud of you all." She squeezed Willow's hand. "You don't find very many mortals fighting evil these days, I can tell you."
"Huh!"
"A conversation for another day, I think." The older woman replied smoothly. "We're severely off track, so back to what we we're talking about."
"I'm not sure..." Willow began.
"Uh uh! Sweetheart, way too late to back out now." She grinned. "Time to swim. Can I ask you something?"
"Well, I suppose so." Willow replied, eyes widening. "What?"
"Has the Slayer returned?"
Willow shook herself, turning slightly away and when she spoke her voice was tense. "No."
"Then why did you refer to him as Buffy's. From what I gather, he hasn't been hers since that stupid original curse was broken."
"But... but isn't that why he was sent back from Hell." Willow was becoming totally confused. "Because Buffy needed him."
"My dear child, how can a person be sent back for someone who isn't even in the same town? Let alone the same state. Especially that selfish chit. Quite frankly, he was sent back because YOU needed him."
*Couldn't you find a bigger sledgehammer to hit the poor girl with! *
For once, subtly is a total bummer. Live with it!
*That's news to me. I didn't think you even knew what the word meant! *
Hah! Remind me to laugh later.
"He was sent back for me!!" The redhead exclaimed incredulously.
"Have you noticed him hanging around anyone else since he got back from that awful place Acathla took him to?"
"Well, no, but I just thought that was because..."
The woman laid a finger on her lips. "Willow, Angel wouldn't protect you just because you restored his soul permanently. Believe me, my dear. He has deep feelings for you."
"But Buffy?"
"Child, she has rescinded her part in this play of life." The woman replied almost harshly. "Let her go, Willow. Holding onto the hope that she will return will only hurt you."
Willow swallowed her heart heavy. "I just can't do that."
"Try my girl. I know it's not in your nature, but I really advise trying." She patted her cheek gently. "Now to your other problem. Do you really believe you are still in love with Oz.?"
Willow blushed violently and lowered her gaze. "No." She said in a low voice.
"Good because you may be about to find out something about him you really won't like." She rose suddenly. "Now I have to go. Think about what I've said Willow and go let that handsome vampire of yours know about the state of his soul."
She started to walk away, leaving a stunned redhead behind her. The small girl only just pulled herself together as she was almost out of hearing. "But what's your name?"
"You can call me Ven." The soft reply came floating back. "Dusk is coming, Willow. You know the risks. Go home."
When Willow looked for her again, she was gone. In the same moment, two words floated to the forefront of her mind. "Soul permanently."
Seconds later, she was gone.