Author's Notes: Willow and & Oz fic. Not that I don't like Tara, but after seeing the old eppies of BtVS, I began to prefer Oz and Willow. NO, I am not homophobic!!! …don't say that, two of my closest friends are gay.

Disclaimer: I do not the characters of BtVS—except for my own OC's.

R/R!!!!!!!!!

The Weeping Willow, Ozzie Osbourne, and Viva Forever

Chapter One: Afterglow

"C'mon Willow! A night out at The Bronze will do you some good!" Buffy called out to her friend, trying to persuade Willow to get out.

It was Friday night and Willow hadn't gone out of the Summers' house for weeks.

The reason behind Willow's actions was her recent heartbreak.

Tara had left her.

Roughly, about a month ago, Tara had said that Willow's powers were a barrier between their relationship—it was dark energy constantly growing, no matter what Willow did. She also admitted it made her nervous, so she had run off. Where, she wouldn't say. When, Tara hadn't said, either.

"I just…need some space…" Willow recalled Tara saying.

And the whole reality of it hurt Willow so intensely…it even hurt to breathe.

First Oz, now Tara. Willow thought solemnly, everyday since.

It seemed as though Willow was cursed—she would never be able to grasp a love that will last for all her years…and beyond.

Xander didn't count because he was still here and was still one of Willow's best friends.

Buffy understood what Willow felt at the moment, for she too, experienced similar emotions. But Buffy also knew you couldn't wallow in your self-pity for the rest of your life. You had to move on, one way or another. Willow had already received all the "alone time" she needed, in Buffy's view, and now was the time when Willow had to get out.

                  After much liberation, Willow finally decided to go—but still quite reluctantly.

The whole Scooby Gang was going: Anya, Xander (who both reconciled, but decided not to get hitched just yet), Dawn, Buffy, and Spike, was going too.

Arriving there, Dawn had sight of her friends from her school and her boyfriend, Damien.

"Oh, look, the Dingoes agree playing…looks like they've got a new guitarist—again. This is what? The ninth one they've gotten?" Anya had pointed out.

Since Oz had left, everybody knew how badly the Dingoes were turning out. The group had to tried to find a number of replacements for Oz, and unfortunately, so far, they had not succeeded.

                  After Buffy and the others had gotten their drinks and food, they settled to nearby couches. Within ten minutes of sitting there talking, three strangers came by.

"Hey…'mind if we sit here?"  Inquired an attractive girl with light, light brown hair.

 She had a guy by her side, evidently her boyfriend for their hands were entwined, who held a digital camera in his hands, and another girl with purple streaks in her ebony hair. They all looked about 22-ish.

Buffy and the others were skeptical: What if they were baddies tryna buddy up with them? But Anya didn't seem to be thinking that, for the next thing out of her mouth was, "No, not at all--go 'head, sit."

                  After they had sat down and gotten comfortable, Xander questioned cautiously, "And who might you strangers be?"

The girl, who had asked to sit down before, smiled sweetly. "Oh, I'm Brooke Hummings…my friend with the purple streaks is Viva Cortez…" Viva told them, "And this is Zenny…my boyfriend." She continued. "So if any of you find him attractive, back off 'cause he's mine!" Viva warned them lightly.

This time, Viva spoke, "Ok, we told you ours, so what might your names be?"

Buffy was once again, hesitated as did Willow, Xander, and Spike, but unfortunately, Anya had already told the trio what their names were.

"You know, your names sound really familiar…" remarked Zenny, after the mini introductions.

"Yeah, yours too…" Xander told her.

The others looked at the two curiously for a moment, as the two pondered at the small ordeal. But the whole "I think I know you" situation was quickly dismissed when both shrugged and muttered, "Then again, maybe not."

                  "So where're you from?" Xander asked, more out of caution than anything else.

"We travel around…but we three originally came from New York…" answered Viva.

"Oh, really…The Big Apple, huh? Which part? Staten Island, Brooklyn…?" Spike remarked. He was bored, so why not join the convo? He asked himself.

"British accent…very sexy." Was what Viva said, looking at Spike.

"We're from the Bronx." Brooke answered, ignoring her flirtatious friend.

                  "The band's good…although, the lead guitarist really has to go." Stated Viva, looking towards the stage.

The rest agreed, fully.

"And the lead singer is ca-yute…" Viva added, gazing at Devon.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Please…like you don't have enough guys to flirt with."

"I don't." Viva retorted casually. Brooke's response to that was a sigh.

"We're in a band too, ya know…" Viva told Buffy and Co.

"Really? What's it called?" asked an interested Anya. She'd always liked meeting new people.

"We're called Afterglow…" Zenny told them. "The name was their idea." He continued, jerking his head towards Brooke and Viva. "They started the band, they chose the name. No exceptions."

"I like it." Piped up Willow.

This shocked Xander, Anya, Spike, and especially Buffy. Willow hadn't said anything all night, and they weren't really expecting too much from her, especially since strangers were present.

But Buffy encouraged Willow's comment, nevertheless. "Yeah…it's cool. Who's in the band?"

"Well, obviously, Brooke, Zenny, and I…We all pretty much do our shares of writing the music and stuff, but Brooke is the back-up singer and plays the piano. I'm the lead singer. Zenny's the drummer, Ozzie is our lead guitarist and our friend, Charlie, plays the bass." Viva explained, showing them a very good-looking guy with about 4 girls surrounding him. "The dude over there is Charlie…he's quite the male prostitute…" Viva also told them.

"I'm surprised he hasn't gotten AIDS, yet." Added Brooke.

 "Who's Ozzie?" inquired Willow. She was surprised to find she was actually asking that. Why am I so interested? I'm so supposed to feel down at the dumps, not all talkative and stuff.

"Oh, he's our Ozzie Osbourne…" Brooke began.

Willow's heart stopped. Osbourne?

"We used to call him Oscar, just to tease him 'cause he hates it, but then he's all like 'Just call me Ozzie, alright guys? Please? I dislike the name Oscar…way too formal for someone like me.'" Continued Brooke.

Hearing Brooke's last comment, made Willow mentally slap herself. No way, she thought, Oz's last name may be Osbourne, but is not Oscar, that much I remember. It must be a relative or something…there could millions of other people with the last name Osbourne…I wonder why I'm thinking about this so much…

"So we feel so bad for the dude, 'cause he's had it rough, ya know? So we're like 'Yeah, sure, whatever, no big.' And anyway, his comment 'bout Oscar being a too formal of a name for someone like him? So true…" Brooke babbled on. Then she blushed. "Sorry, I get like this sometimes. I talk nonstop."

"Don't I know it…" mumbled Zenny.

"I heard that!" Brooke retorted, giving him a warning look. Zenny gave her an sheepish smile. 'But I like that about you…you know that." Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Smooth one, Zennay!" remarked Viva slapping him five.

"Ozzie's also Viva's former boyfriend. They broke up, like, 6 months ago…" Brooke then informed the group.

Viva groaned. "Jesus, Brooke, tell the whole world why don't you?!" she said, obviously a bit upset.

"And she's still hurting 'bout the whole thing." Brooke added. Brooke wasn't such a big mouth when it came to strangers, but at the moment, she was annoyed at Viva. Viva was shutting Brooke out of her life—Brooke, her best friend since they were in diapers. Viva wouldn't even give details behind her and Ozzie anymore, much less their break-up. And Viva's silence was hurting Brooke.

Viva mumbled something like, "Don't remind me…" as she looked away from everyone's stares.

Flashback

"Hey V…" Ozzie greeted Viva.

"Hey!" Viva greeted her boyfriend excitedly. "Where've ya been? I've missed you." She tried to kiss Ozzie, but he moved away. Viva frowned in confusion. '"Something wrong, Ozzie?"

"We need to talk, Viva…" was his answer. He led her to a nearby couch.

"Well? Talk. What's your news?" Viva murmured, expecting the worst.

"I think we should break up." He said gently, as though saying it like that would make it hurt less.

Viva avoided his eyes. "I was afraid of that…" she mumbled. She could feel herself tearing. "So what's your reason?"

Ozzie, instead of answering, uttered that words, "I'm sorry, Viva…"

"What's your reason, Oz?" Viva repeated again, this time raising her voice, making it more stern, and using Ozzie's actual name.

Oz didn't say anything. And he didn't have to…Viva already knew his answer, already.

"It's that girl, isn't it? The redhead you left behind your old town…the one who you can never seem to stop thinking about…it's her, isn't it?" Viva spoke, in a less harsh tone. Her eyes were glued to the floor.

Ozzie again, didn't say anything.

"Answer me, Oz!! Answer me!! I have the goddamn right, you know!!" Viva yelled. Tears were streaming down her face now. She didn't mean to yell, but she wanted to know if it was his reason for sure, damn it!

Ozzie flinched at Viva's words. He nodded, "Yeah…" he answered weakly.

Viva sniffed. "I knew…I knew it! All this time…I saw it in your eyes…sometimes when you'd look at me, you'd have this look in your eyes as if you wished I were someone else. And sometimes when you'd space out, and I so knew that you were thinking of her…I refused to believe it though, to ask you about it…'cause I was afraid what your answer would be."

Oz, for once, didn't know what to say. He knew he had to say something, though. "I'm sorry…" he murmured.

"Yeah, so am I…" Viva then shifted her gaze away from the floor to Oz. She gave him a quick hug, and let go, smiling. "Hey, it was fun, Ozzie." Viva kissed him on the cheek. She got up, about to leave the room, but before she exited the door, she told him, "See you later…remember practice is in two hours. Don't be late." Viva said this to him, signaling they were still friends, and Ozzie, no matter how much he'd struggle, couldn't break off that friendship.

Not that Oz would want to or do so.

                  End of Flashback

"Hey guys, I'll catch ya'll later. I got some business to attend to…" Viva said, all of a sudden. A moment before, she was in the Twilight Zone, reminiscing Ozzie's break up with her.

"Okay…be careful…and come back soon!" Commented a concerned, Brooke.

Viva rolled her eyes. "Please, Brooke, I'm not a child…"

And with that, Viva left to find her unique friend, Ozzie.