After spending a cathartic evening the night before with Giles researching in his library, Willow crept out that morning, painfully straightening her stiff back. She was careful not to wake the still sleeping Watcher who drooled on his desk as she closed the door and looked at her watch; she had just enough time to for breakfast before she needed to be at school.
As she walked down the hallway, the "usual" was happening: girls were bustling about, play-fighting, gossiping, laughing. Willow took it in with a sense of serenity when she felt a tug on her sleeve and Dawn yanked her into her bedroom.
Willow opened her mouth but Dawn held a finger up to her lips as she closed the door.
"Dawn?" Willow whispered. "What are you doing?"
"I need to talk to you about something."
Though Willow was annoyed, probably more so than she would have been had she had a good night's sleep, she could see the worry on Dawn's face and softened.
"Of course," she said.
"Something happened last night. Between me and Xander."
"What do you mean?" Willow asked, nonplussed. Dawn just looked at her hands. "Oh. Oh. Oh! What?"
"Shh!"
"Sorry."
"Nothing like that," Dawn said. "We just were out all night talking about…everything…and…he held my hand. And it was…nice." She sighed, smiling and sinking on to her bed.
"Wait. Why were you out? Rewind. Start from the beginning. You held hands? Xander likes you? You like Xander? You held hands?"
"I guess I thought I'd gotten over my crush as I'd gotten older," she went on. "But when we came to Italy and with everything last year, it just intensified, if nothing else. We're the only ones here in the same situation, Will. And, I respect him. We're so much alike. And…he's good to me. He helps me and does anything I ask for, literally, at a beckon call."
Willow's normally sharp brain was thick and addled with confusion. She couldn't process what Dawn was saying.
"Will, I think…" Dawn began, swallowing. "I think I love him. Like, really love him, not 'I'm the Key and I've been given these memories' love him or 'he's Buffy's best friend' love him. Just Xander love him."
Her eyes sparkled and she looked as shocked to be saying these words as Willow was to be hearing them. At seeing this, Willow's head cleared somewhat and she sat down on the bed next to Dawn.
"Wow, Dawnie, that's a really big deal. Did you tell him that?" she asked softly.
"No! Of course not! I mean, it doesn't matter anyway. He only sees me as Buffy's kid sister, the Key, and just this little kid that needs to be protected. He doesn't see me as my own person yet."
Willow couldn't argue with this; everyone who knew Buffy lived under her shadow a little bit, but she couldn't imagine how Dawn felt. However, she didn't say this to her lovesick friend.
"No, Dawn, I'm sure—"
"Please, don't say anything. To him. Or Buffy," Dawn pleaded.
Willow smiled at Dawn unhappily.
"Sure, Dawnie," she smiled, hugging her around the shoulders.
"Oh, and Willow, there's something else I need your help with, but you have to swear not to tell anyone…"
Willow nodded, raising her eyebrows expectantly. What now? she thought.
"Um, Spike's kind of back from the dead."
As soon as Dawn told her everything she knew, Willow ran out the door with no time for breakfast. She caught the first taxi she saw and started praying she wouldn't be too late for class.
One of those times it would've been nice to have stayed Jewish, she thought wistfully.
As she ran up the two flights of stairs to her classroom, she was already 10 minutes late, her heart racing.
She thrust open the door to see Dr. Canzona sitting on the back row. Oh God! she thought. She had completely forgotten the illustrious professor would be observing her class again today.
Willow stood panting in the open doorway for a moment while her students stopped talking and straightened, waiting for her to finally start class.
"Ummm…" she started, flustered. "Mi voglia scusare, class. I was detained with some personal issues at home. I am so sorry for the inconvenience and waste of our time. Let's begin."
Nervously, she fumbled through her bags to begin her lecture. The whole class, all she could think about was the professor's eyes and what she would say after. It was over before she knew it.
"For homework, translate chapter 7. Have a good weekend!" She began to pack her things and felt nervous as Dr. Canzona made her way to the front of the class.
"That was quite a show you put on, Ms. Rosenberg. I was in high suspense as to whether you would come. I'm glad you did."
Willow stared at the woman, startled to see her hair was half down today and falling around her shoulders in thick curls. She licked her lips and swallowed. "I'm glad I didn't disappoint you, Dr. Canzona."
"Ms. Rosenberg, I realize you must be very busy. But your job, here at school, must be of the utmost priority. Surely, whatever you were dealing with earlier was not a matter of life and death."
Willow stifled a laugh.
"Good job on your lecture today. Keep it up—and be on time. Ciao."
Dr. Canzona walked out leaving Willow almost weak in the knees from exhaustion and it wasn't even lunchtime yet.