A/N: Fluff, ahoy! lol But I promise it's a "bearable" sort of fluff, so it's not like "omg, I've got to poke my eyes out and puke!" fluff. :) This chapter was originally a love scene, but I decided to postpone it since I just couldn't make it seem plausible for them to get down to the 'hibbity-jibbity' after such a short time of feeling connected. ::shrug:: It'll probably happen in the next chapter, though, since I am NOT well-known for being able to hold off on these sort of things, hehe. But anywhos, this is a completely new chapter, and the next one will be, as well (I mentioned earlier that this is a rewrite), so hopefully it's good… Enjoy! ;0D

CH 2: Butterflies

I'm sorry. That's all Willie truly wanted to say, but he knew that in the end it would do him no good. Maggie probably hated him, and for very good reason. He'd come on to her far too strongly, for one, and two, he had behaved like a belligerent ass.

Threading his fingers through his hair, Willie miserably slumped his shoulders forward and nursed his drink, his brooding gaze catching sight of the familiar figure coming toward him far too late.

"Hiya, cutie!"

Willie grimaced. He didn't feel like dealing with Bethany, the Blue Whale's newest (not to mention ditziest) waitress at the moment when he felt so…sober.

Disregarding the fact that Willie still had yet to give her a proper salutation, Bethany persisted, "Can I getcha something to go with that beer? Pretzels? Pistachios?" Giving him a mischievous look, she added coyly, "A back rub, perhaps?"

Willie resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Bethany was a real cute little thing, what with her flaxen locks, baby blue eyes and curvy figure, but in the long run, he knew that cute alone just didn't cut it. Not when she had a mouth that could drive any man to taking his own life.

Leaning back in his seat, Willie glumly shook his head before muttering, "Nah, I don't need none a' that, but I guess ya could just get me a new beer."

Bethany gave him an all-knowing smirk. "Now, now, no need to ruin those wonderful lil' faculties of yours! After all, I've got a message to give ya from some gal named Maddie Evens, or something, and you can't very well go see her if you're drunk as a skunk!"

Willie nearly did a spit-take with his beer. "M-Maggie" he choked out, "Maggie Evans wants ta see me? What for?"

"She didn't really say" Bethany admitted, "but if ya hurry, she said she'd be waiting at Collinwood. Oh! And did I tell you about the time when…?"

But Willie was already gone before her final statement, his heart hammering wildly within his chest as his mind whirled with the possibilities of what Maggie had to say to him.

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The moment Willie entered Collinwood, he found that he was extremely nervous. When he heard Maggie's voice beckoning to him from the drawing room, he uneasily crossed the threshold before finding the governess sitting in an almost expectant manner on the couch.

"Hi there" she greeted, her eyes giving off an almost tender gentleness that truly surprised her onlooker. "Can I get you anything?"

Willie hurriedly shook his head. "Nah…I-I mean, I already had somethin' before I came by, but I guess you already knew that since ya sent for me."

"I did" Maggie agreed, "but only because I wanted to talk to you about yesterday evening. Ever since then I've just felt so awful for how I treated you when I know that you were just trying to be friendly. I didn't need to take things as far as I did."

Willie stared at her in bewilderment. "Huh? Y-ya mean, you're not mad?"

"No" Maggie assured him, "not anymore, at least. I even figured that we could make this whole forgiveness thing more official by going out somewhere – I'll let you pick, of course."

Willie could hardly wrap his head around what was being said, his heart pounding hollowly within his bosom as he pointed a shaking finger towards his person. "You want me…ta go out with you?" he squeaked, barely believing his own ears. When she nodded, he gushed, "Oh, w-well how 'bout you jus' swing on by the Old House instead, uh? I know that after bein' with Barnabas for so long I can finally cook, a-an' we can eat, an' talk, and…um…eat some more, I guess."

Maggie couldn't help but laugh at the servant's enthusiasm. "Oh, Willie, I'm so glad you're not angry with me…dinner sounds lovely. I still have to grade David and Amy's history papers, but after I'm done I'll be sure to stop by." Now rising so that she was gazing into his eyes, she added. "Thank you so much for understanding – I'm real lucky to have a friend like you."

When Maggie embraced him, Willie didn't feel the warmth and love he thought he would. Being referred to as a 'friend', after all, made him realize more than ever that tonight wouldn't be a date, but a friendly little get-together.

With this thought weighing heavily within his mind, Willie gave Maggie a polite nod of the head as his goodbye before departing in order to prepare for his 'non-date'.

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When Willie opened the door to receive his caller, he couldn't help but take a small step back, his mouth falling slightly agape the moment he took in the beauty that was otherwise known as Maggie Evans. The lacy red dress that adorned her figure was distractingly snug, not to mention sinfully short for a woman of her pure stature. In the long run, however, Willie found that he didn't mind in the slightest.

Breaking out into a cold sweat, he squeaked, "Uh…h-hi. Didja wanna eat soon, or…or……eat?"

Maggie laughed, only to immediately apologize, "Sorry I'm so late, but Carolyn was riffling through her dresses for something nice for me to wear. I insisted that this wasn't a date, but you know how she is." Noticing Willie's apron, she teased, "Why don't you take that off and stay a while? Unless, of course, you're planning on using that as a giant bib?"

Blushing at her good-natured jesting, Willie muttered something about being forgetful as he removed his apron and draped it over the back of a chair. Now turning to face her he asked, "Y-ya want some brandy, or somethin'? Barnabas ain't too keen on drinks, so I'm afraid that that's all we've got in the alcoholic department."

"Brandy will be fine" Maggie assured him, smiling to herself as she turned and surveyed the room. "Wow, you really fixed this place up nice! It's too bad you don't have a girlfriend, Willie, because you sure know how to create the perfect atmosphere."

Willie's cheeks burned at her remark. "W-well, women don't really seem ta like me…i-in fact, you're the only one who'll go anywhere near me in public."

Maggie appeared to be rather surprised by this confession, her eyes softening as she apologized, "I'm sorry, I should never have said anything… I never was too good with subtle conversation." Suddenly smiling, she flopped down into one of the overstuffed chairs before declaring, "Which is exactly why I've decided that tonight I'm going to mend my ways and learn as much about you as possible. You're a very quiet man, Willie, and it just so happens that I take a certain enjoyment in coaxing people out of their shells."

Willie began to noticeably shake as he poured her glass of brandy. "Oh, w-well, th-there ain't nothin' worth talkin' about me, Maggie… I-I've lived a pretty boring life."

"Yeah, right" Maggie scoffed. "That whole thing with Jason McGuire always struck me as being gossip-worthy."

"I don't wanna talk about that."

"Well why not?"

"Because I don't want to, alright!?" Willie snapped, the remembrance of how he'd been forced to bury his friend roiling within his gut like poison. When Maggie remained silent, he ruefully shook his head before apologizing, "I'm real sorry, Maggie, but that's just a chapter a' my life that I'd rather keep closed, ya know? The memories of what I've done ta people – ta you – are just way too painful."

Maggie smiled sadly. "Well, it looks like I did it, again – I have the worst skills when it comes to cheering you up!"

"Nah…" Willie mirrored her soft smile before insisting, "It didn't hurt me none – I guess you could always just ask another question."

"Ah! Right!" Maggie agreed, now smiling mischievously as he handed her the requested brandy. After she'd taken a small sip, she propped her chin on her fist before sustaining, "If you could have anything in the world – anything at all – what would it be, and why?"

Willie groaned. "Aw, Maggie, that's so…"

"Ah, ah, ah! You pretty much sold your soul the moment you let me enter this house, so answer away!" Maggie urged, laughing at the exasperated look on his face as she took yet another sip of brandy.

Sighing, Willie uncomfortably shifted from one foot to the other before mumbling, "Aw, I dunno…I-I guess I'd wanna leave this place and never come back, or somethin'."

"Well that's boring" Maggie remarked with a small smirk. "Do you honestly mean to tell me that you have no aspirations or dreams?"

"W-well, I…"

"And does that also mean that you don't want a wife or kids? I mean, c'mon, you have to admit that the prospect of little Willies running around is very charming!" Maggie teased.

Willie, in spite of his nonchalant demeanor, was growing very discomforted by the subject at hand. Hurriedly shaking his head, he shyly admitted, "N-n-no, I-I could never be a father or a husband c-cuz I just don't got the people skills, I guess."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous! You're talking to me right now, aren't you?" When the servant shrugged, Maggie insisted, "There, you see? And believe it or not, Willie Loomis, it takes a lot to get on my good side, so consider yourself blessed. You're a good person, and I know for a God-given fact that one day the gauze will be lifted from some lucky woman's eyes, and she'll find what she's been missing all these years."

Willie's gaze couldn't help but soften. "Yeah? Y-ya really mean all that, Maggie?" When she nodded, he suddenly asked, "Well what about you, then? I had ta answer that doofy question, so now you should, too."

Maggie smirked. "Well, unlike you, Willie, I really do have a boring life, so that means my wildest dreams are pretty boring, too."

"Try me" Willie urged, a hint of playfulness reflecting within his eyes as he took a seat across from her. "What is it thatcha just can't live without?"

Now appearing to be rather sheepish, Maggie shook her head before admitting, "It's stupid, really, but all I truly want in this world is to find someone who understands me…someone who'll love and appreciate me for who I am and not just for what I look like. It's really hard, Willie, and I'm beginning to think that no such man exists."

"Why?" the servant asked, genuinely confused. "I don't understand how someone could just like ya for your face, cuz even though you're real beautiful an' all, you're so much more than that, Maggie. I-I admire ya cuz you're all smart an' iron-willed, a-an' ya got that lil' secret you don't want nobody ta know cuz you think bein' a bookworm's bad – which it's not – and…well…I dunno. You're just a real swell person, Maggie, a-an' I know you'll find someone, cuz when you've got so much goin' for ya, someone's bound ta notice."

Maggie looked up into his eyes with a true sense of gratitude, her voice quivering ever-so-slightly as she joked, "I-I'm sorry…have we met before?"

"We have" Willie acknowledged, "but I'm really hopin' that won't influence whatcha think about me."

"It hasn't" Maggie assured him, smiling as she shook her head in amusement. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I was wrong about you. I always got the distinct impression that you were rude and incredibly odd, but you're not…in fact, you're just like me and everyone else in this Godforsaken town. I can't believe that it actually took me until tonight to realize that." Laughing, she added, "Wow, I almost feel as if I'm in a confessional booth…you're not actually a priest, are you?"

Willie chuckled before rising from his chair. "Nah, I don't think so…if I were, I'd seriously hafta question the clergy's sense a' good judgement." Holding out his hand for her to take, he added, "Dinner's ready – I heard the timer go off, so if you'll just wait here an' make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back."

Accepting his outstretched hand, Maggie rose from her perch as she watched him egress the drawing room, her fingers still tingling slightly from where they'd been so reverently touched.

After a few minutes, Willie finally returned, a sheepish look crossing his features as he apologized, "I-I'm awful sorry an' all, but I needed ta put the food back in for another ten minutes. You ok with that?"

"Well do I really have a choice?" Maggie teased while folding her arms. When Willie shyly lowered his gaze she warmly assured him, "Ten minutes will be fine, Willie – you really should just relax. I'm not expecting the world of you, or anything, because all I truly want is to get to know you better."

Willie couldn't help but smirk. "A-and am I as crazy as the locals say? Or, even worse still, boring?"

"Why, not at all! In fact, you're probably one of the most interesting people I've ever met" Maggie admitted, a warm twinkle coming to her eyes as she folded her hands and smiled. "I'm really glad we're friends, Willie – I haven't found anyone I could talk to like this for so long… In fact, it's almost as if I can tell you anything."

"Me, too" Willie gushed. "I-I mean, I don't talk ta myself about anything cuz that'd be weird, b-but ta you."

Maggie laughed. "Now what did I just tell you about relaxing? To my knowledge I don't bite, so really, there's no need to be so nervous!"

"I-I ain't nervous!" Willie anxiously defended, "I-I just stutter a lot w-when I'm around certain people, a-and I…um…"

Smiling, Maggie moved to tease him further when a great pounding sounded against the roof like that of a thousand needles falling against a firm surface. Her eyes alight with excitement, she turned toward the servant before exclaiming, "It's raining, Willie – quick, let's go outside!"

Willie appeared to be considerably taken aback by her request. "W-what? Now Maggie, it ain't too safe ta go prancin' around in the rain, a-and you could…"

"Oh, nonsense! A little rain never hurt anybody – come on!" the governess urged, her small hands now encircling Willie's wrist as she gave him a persistent tug. When he reluctantly submitted, she cheerily called over her shoulder, "I'm about to introduce you to an old Collinsport tradition, so I hope you can handle it!"

"If it requires not gettin' wet, then sure" Willie muttered, wincing once Maggie stubbornly pulled him outside and into the rain. Shivering, he watched on as the governess lifted her arms up towards the heavens, his right eyebrow quirking as he demanded, "Well what on earth are ya doin', uh? This don't seem like much of a tradition ta me…"

Turning to give him a wry smile, Maggie shyly admitted, "Alright, so it's not a well-known tradition, but my mother taught it to me when I was a little girl, and…well…I-I guess I just wanted to share it with someone."

Despite the freezing chill from the rain, Willie's gaze couldn't help but soften. "Yeah? Well what is it, then?"

Now it was Maggie's turn for her gaze to soften, her arms coming to rest across her bosom as she urged, "Now don't laugh, but when I was about six years old, my mother always told me that the rain was actually a mixture of God and angel tears. She said that all of the world's pain and suffering would build up within their hearts until they couldn't take it anymore, and then they'd just cry and cry until everyone was happy, again. Even though prosperity would once more be restored, those who actually drank the tears would be blessed with good luck for seven whole years." Lifting her gaze up to the heavens, Maggie sustained, "So now that you've heard that little spiel, I suppose you think I'm crazy and won't even humor my silly little tradition. I know you probably think I'm odd for behaving this way, but I feel really close to my mother when I do this… I hope I haven't angered you by dragging you out here in this freezing rain."

Willie smiled before turning his attention up toward the gray skies, his hand coming up in order to catch the tiny droplets as he softly argued, "Nah… I used ta do some pretty weird things as a kid, too. I-I mean! Well…y-your thing ain't as weird as ya think, cuz I used ta sit up in the ol' oak tree in my backyard an' pray that angels'd come an' take me away. I did that every damn day, but my prayers were never answered cuz I still had ta live in the biggest Hell on earth – i-it was even worse than…" He faltered.

"Even worse than what?" Maggie pressed, her eyes appearing to be warm and concerned within the dim lighting of the sky.

Willie slowly shook his head, truly not wanting to remember his childhood and how his parents didn't love him. And now, even worse still, he knew that Maggie didn't love him, either…

Pushing that painful thought to the back of his mind, the servant turned to Maggie before asking, "How do I catch this rain, anyway? I think I'd look awful stupid with my mouth hangin' open, so I'm pretty much hopin' that there's another way."

Maggie smirked before insisting, "Sorry, bub, but you're not about to cheat and catch handfuls – if I have to catch the rain with my mouth, you're darn well going to do it, too!"

Willie grimaced. "Aw, but I feel so stupid…"

"Oh, c'mon! Do this with me" Maggie urged, now holding out her hand for him to take.

When Willie accepted her hand and curled his fingers about her own, a sweet warmth erupted deep within him and set his soul afire. Maggie Evans did something to him that no other woman had ever been able to – something that caused him to fall apart and reassemble in completion at the same instant. When he was with her, nothing else ever seemed to matter, because when they were together, he could finally be himself. She was his only anchor in the Godforsaken town they resided, and he'd be damned if he lost her.

Now raising his gaze up toward the sky, Willie relished in the coolness of the rain against his face and tongue as Maggie continued to instruct him on what to do. The longer they stood there, the more he felt her hand tighten about his own in a fond squeeze, his eyes suddenly drifting over toward her lissome form in order to discover that she was looking at him, as well.

"Do you feel any luckier, yet?" Maggie asked, a soft smile coming to her lips.

"I dunno" Willie admitted, "but I guess I must be since you're here, and…I-I mean! Sorry, I-I shouldn'a said that…"

Maggie slowly shook her head. "No" she urged, "don't say you're sorry, Willie – I'm glad I'm here, too." Lighting touching his cheek, the governess tucked her head beneath his chin before embracing him about the middle, her eyes closing as tears began to form along her lashes. Sniffling, she praised in a grateful whisper, "Thank you, Willie… Thank you so much…"

"For what?" he demanded, genuinely confused. "I didn't do nothin', ta my knowledge…"

"Maybe not from a normal person's point of view" Maggie agreed, "but to me, I'm eternally grateful. You see, I've never told anyone about my tradition before, and…well…you didn't laugh at my childishness. That really meant a lot to me."

Willie gave her a sad smile. "Well I never told anyone about mine before, either…guess I just feel like I can trust ya, or somethin'."

Maggie mirrored his smile, a distinct shiver running down her spine the moment the servant touched her face and lightly brushed away at the offending tears.

"Please don't cry" he begged. "I can't stand ta see people cry…"

'Especially you' he thought, subconsciously shaking his head. Her tears from back when she was Barnabas' prisoner still haunted his dreams even to this day, so the very sight of them running down her cheeks put him at a terrible sense of unease.

Maggie, however, didn't even seem to take notice of his distress, her hand coming up in order to interlace with his as she leaned against the firmness of his chest and placed her forehead against his.

Their sudden nearness sent Willie's soul careening into a fiery plane of sheer bliss, his eyes meeting questioningly with hers as she placed hesitant fingertips against his cheek and leaned in with the timidity of a schoolgirl.

The moment Maggie's plush lips touched his, Willie couldn't help but lose himself amidst her delicate warmth and softness. The pounding of his heart was enough to drown out any rational thought, yet any of Maggie's administrations were far more distracting.

Linking her arms tentatively about Willie's neck, Maggie deepened the kiss by leaning further into his sheltering embrace, her tongue lightly caressing his own as she felt his hands shakily making their way down to just above her derriere. When Maggie's fingers beginning to unfasten the buttons to his shirt, however, the servant regrettably held her out at arm's length before shaking his head.

"I-I'm sorry, Maggie, b-but I can't…"

"Why not?" she demanded, genuinely confused. "I thought you liked me…"

Willie winced, his features contorting into a look of sadness as he mumbled an apology and began briskly heading back for the door. He couldn't face her – not when she looked so damn beautiful and miserable all at once.

Maggie, however, was far from finished with him. "Willie, wait!" she pleaded, now racing after him through the slippery grass. "What did I do to upset you like this? I just don't understand…"

"You don't want me – not really, anyway" Willie grumpily accused. "This is the first time you've ever even given me the time a' day, so what makes tonight so damn special?"

Maggie felt tears burning along her lashes as she hotly insisted, "I don't know, Willie, I really don't, but what I do know is that you're the first person I've been able to talk to in a long time, and…well…I like you. I like you a lot."

"Don't like me" Willie pleaded, "especially not when it's like this…"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know" the servant wearily admitted, "but you're not just some girl ta me, Maggie. You don't know how many times I've met some broad I didn't like, but screwed, anyway." He sighed. "Look, I'm real sorry, but I just couldn't stand ta hurtcha like all those nameless women – just do yourself a favor and get outta here while ya still can."

"Is that what you really want?" Maggie stubbornly pressed. "Because if it is, I'll go, but if not…" Here she lightly brushed her thumb across his lips, her eyes both gentle and pleading as she sustained, "If not, I'm completely willing to stay for as long as you need me."

Willie reached up and grasped at her hand before pressing it to his lips, his voice quivering as he inquired, "Maggie, d-do ya even know what you're suggestin'? Come on, now, this is insane…"

Now it was Maggie's turn to appear apprehensive. "I think I do" she admitted. "I-I mean, I've never felt quite like this before, so surely that means…"

"No" Willie argued, "I don't wanna do nothin' when you're not even sure."

"But I am sure!" she stubbornly argued. "You're the only person who's ever truly understood me for who I am, and now that I've discovered that, Collinsport doesn't even seem like that bad of a place to live… Not anymore, at least."

Willie felt his heart ache at her words, for no woman had ever been able to touch his soul quite like she did. The way things were going, he knew that he would end up giving in to her unspeakable request, and in so doing he'd only fall for her all the more strongly. This, of all things was what frightened him the most. With a miserable shake of the head, he apologized, "I-I'm real sorry, Maggie, b-b-but I can't, a-and Barnabas will be home soon, so maybe…I mean…"

"You want me to leave" Maggie bitterly supplied, her head bowing as she shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, fine – I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Willie… It was very wrong of me to do what I did, so I'm hoping that someday you'll be able to forgive me."

Willie inwardly groaned. Didn't she understand? He wanted her more than anything in the world, but he wasn't good enough for her – he knew he wasn't.

Turning back toward the interior of the house, the servant gave a dejected farewell, his insides screaming as he listened to the sound of Maggie's soft footfalls gradually taking her away from him, once again.