Chapter 18: Bad News, Buffy
*****The Next Morning****
Dick got up early to go surfing before his ten o'clock class. It was stressful thinking about someone wanting to murder his best friend. Without Logan in his life, Dick didn't know what exactly he'd do. His brother was in prison still, and Duncan was still on the run with his daughter. Logan was like his family, not just his best friend.
He grabbed the surfboard from the back of his truck and walked toward the water. He saw a dude standing at the water with a board just looking out.
"Hey," Dick said. The guy was very short with red hair. He looked a bit familiar.
"Hey," the guy said.
"Are you about to get in or done?" Dick asked.
"About to get in," he said.
"I'm Dick," Dick said, holding his fist out for a fist bump.
"Oz," Oz said.
"Cool. Do you go to Hearst? You seem familiar," Dick said.
"I do part-time," he said. "I'm in class Monday and Wednesday. Sometimes, on Tuesdays, I'm on campus to do classwork. But you saw me the other day at the hospital. I drove a friend there who's friends with the guy who was hurt."
"Then that's why you seem familiar," Dick said. "You're Willow' ex." He refrained from saying ruining her for men because he knew Willow would be pissed if he offended the guy.
"I guess you could say that," Oz said. "We were together two years. I had to leave her, and then she met Tara."
"Those girls are the coolest chicks I have ever met," Dick said.
Oz smiled. "Willow is very special. I don't really know Tara, but if Willow loves her, she must be, too."
That was the exact response for to make Dick decide to forgive him for breaking Willow's heart. Relationships were complicated, and if they could still be friends after all that, then the dude must be okay. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the water.
Oz nodded and followed the taller man onto the water. For him, surfing was mostly a solitary sport. He loved the water and had been doing it since his dad taught him as a boy. His bandmates sometimes surfed with him, but the Scoobies weren't much for the beach even though Buffy said she used to love the beach back in Los Angeles. When he caught his first wave, he felt the peace wash over him.
He glanced and saw the tall blonde guy had found his own wave. They shared a smile of mutual understanding.
They surfed for about an hour, and then the waves receded.
"Dude, you wanna go get some breakfast?" Dick asked.
Oz shrugged. "Sure," he said. People in Neptune were very friendly and unguarded. It was a strange thing to see when Sunnydale was just a few hours away.
Dick was just glad to have something to distract him from his worry about his best friend.
*****Two Days Later******
Logan winced in pain as Willow put some of her magic salve on his back. The pain wasn't really that bad, but the shock of the cool ointment caused his muscles to tense, which stretched the burns. He had left the hospital yesterday since infection did not set in. His second day in the hospital, she was able to sneak in and put some of her healing salve. Much to his amazement, she and Tara performed a healing spell or prayer of some kind also. He wasn't exactly sure if it was real magic, or if she just had extra gifts that some people have. Wicca was a religion, so he just decided to think of it as a prayer service. The idea of Veronica hearing the word magic accidentally kept him from even thinking it. Logan couldn't see his pragmatic lady love, who saw the world in black and white, believing in magic. Of course, she wasn't really his love anymore.
However, the results of Willow's salve and her and Tara's prayers couldn't be denied. Within forty-eight hours, his pain was cut in half. The doctors were convinced the past abuse from his father gave him a high pain tolerance. Little did they know, he had a secret, magical weapon.
"The stuff stinks so bad," Dick said, sniffing as he watched.
"Yes, it does smell a bit," Willow said. "Luckily, the notice-not spell I performed kept the doctors and nurses from noticing."
"Seriously?" Dick asked.
Willow shrugged. "You will still have some scarring, but it won't be nearly as bad as the doctor first said," she said. "Tonight, Tara and I will come by and do another healing. You'll be feeling fine in no time."
"That's great! Should I keep the shirt off?" Logan asked.
"For a bit. We'll let it breath," Willow said. "Then I'll put the bandage back on before I leave."
"I ordered lunch," Dick said. "Where's Tara?"
"She had a test to study for," Willow said.
When Dick looked bummed, Logan threw a pillow at him. "Dude, you know she's not ever gonna sleep with you, right?" he said with a smirk.
"Yea," he said, throwing the pillow back. "But she's cool. I feel good when I'm around her."
"She has that effect on everyone," Willow said with a proud smile. "She has a brother and a father. Has she ever told you?"
"She told us her mom died and her dad was a monster, but she didn't go into detail," Logan said.
"When her mother died, she was sixteen. They were really mean to her," Willow said. "Her mother was more like me she says—had real natural power. It scared her father, and he often hit her mother when he got too drunk to be afraid of her magic. He'd call her a demon. Her brother was twisted from an early age to not respect women, so he followed his father's example. After her mother died, he and her brother convinced her that when she turned twenty, she would manifest her demon half. They came to Sunnydale and tried to force her back home. She was so scared, so I knew that they had hurt her growing up."
"Seriously?" Dick asked, his eyes wide.
"Yes," Willow said. "The fact that she is so comfortable with you, Dick, is not an easy thing. Xander's the only guy she's ever spent time around that didn't make her anxious in some way. Even with him, it took a few months because she knew how much I loved Xander. She was afraid he wouldn't like her, so it made her anxious. With you, she feels perfectly safe. With Xander and Buffy, she knows they are my friends first. You and Logan don't make her feel that way."
"I'm glad to hear that," Logan said. "I know exactly how she feels."
Willow nodded. "She gets that. Your history, though, of fighting does worry her," Willow admitted. "But she knows about your history with Veronica, and she knows that you are a protector."
"Dude, we should take a road trip and go give Tara's dad and brother a lesson in manners!" Dick said.
"Tara wouldn't like that," Willow said, smiling.
Logan knew that and got up to answer the door. It was Ratner with their food. "Put it over there," Logan said, turning and pointing.
Jeff got a look at his back and winced. "That looks painful," he said.
"It's not as bad as it was," Logan said. He handed Jeff a twenty. "Thanks."
"Is that your sister?" Jeff asked, looking at Willow.
"Sort of. She's my sister's sister," Logan said, smiling at Willow. "She's also Buffy's best friend."
"Really?" Jeff said.
"Willow, this is Ratner," Logan said, introducing them. "This is the guy whose cousin owns the kickboxing place."
"Nice to meet you," Willow said, giving him a smile. "Buffy loves your cousin."
"It's Jeff. Jeff Ratner," he introduced. "My cousin loves Buffy. She's bringing in a lot of new business." Logan and Dick were a lot nicer since they started hanging out with Buffy.
"Logan, let me put the bandage on you before we eat," Willow said.
Jeff left while Willow finished taking care of Logan. Then they sat down to eat.
"Did I tell you that I met a new surfing dude the other day?" Dick asked Logan.
"No," he said. "That's good."
"He's a student. Doesn't talk much but has this calming presence. We went to breakfast after surfing together twice," Dick said. He grinned, waiting to see if Willow would pick up on who the guy was.
"That's good that you're making another guy friend," Willow said, smiling at him.
"The guy's this short little redheaded dude. Only goes part time," Dick said. "He's in a band, but he doesn't at all remind me of Piz."
Willow's eyes widened as she realized who he was describing. "Is his name Oz?" she asked.
"How did you know? Do you know him?" Dick asked, feigning surprise. "I thought we were the only surfers you knew."
"That's 'cause I don't think of Oz as a surfer dude," Willow said with a grin. "He didn't do it much when he and I were together. Sometimes, he'd go with his bandmates. You saw him the other day at the hospital, remember."
Dick's eyes widened. "Oz is the guy who ruined you for men! I remember. I liked him, but I can give him a beatdown for breaking your heart if you want."
Willow laughed. "Oz is one of the best guys I've ever known, so no, you don't. I am very glad to have him in town as we are now a full Scooby group," she said. "Minus Cordelia, of course."
Logan groaned. "Not the Scooby crap again! It's a cartoon with a really ridiculous talking dog," Logan said.
"We love Scooby. Oz is not someone you want to make angry—just so you know," Willow said. "Not only did he survive the hellmouth that was Sunnydale and fight with us on graduation, he's got his own special skills that I won't tell you about. He's a private guy."
"So he fought vampires and stuff with you in Sunnydale?" Dick asked. The girls had shared with them about Sunnydale but not about Buffy's calling.
Willow nodded. "Yes. One time, I was kidnapped by this loony vampire, Spike, who wanted me to do a love spell 'cause his insane lover Drusilla had dumped him. Oz was able to track me," she said.
"So Oz is even cooler than I originally thought?" Dick asked. He had made a point of not bringing up Willow and Tara after the first time with Oz since he just wanted his surfing to be drama free.
"He is the coolest," she said. "He's a genius who failed his senior year because he never went to class."
"Really?" Dick said, grinning.
"He only loved music and me," she said, looking sad. "But he and Tara are cool now."
"That's good," Logan said. "Will, can I ask you something?"
"You can, but I can't promise to answer," she said.
"Buffy's physical gifts, do they have something to do with you all living in Sunnydale?" he asked.
Willow frowned, not sure how to answer. "Not exactly. She would have them if she didn't live in Sunnydale, but she did use them to help a lot of people," Willow said. "That time I was kidnapped by the evil mayor, she and Angel, her ex, saved me. Really, I'm not sure I could recall all the times she saved my life."
"If the place is that dangerous, I hope you never go back to visit," Logan said.
"Only during apocalypse season," Willow said with a grin.
"There's a season for apocalypses?" Logan asked, looking stunned.
"Toward the end of May," Willow said. "There's a slayer there now, though, named Kennedy. She's keeping a lid on things. She's a very aggressive lesbian, who kind of ruined it for us. Faith and her came to blows more than once. She ignored the fact that I was with Tara more than once."
"A slayer?" Logan said.
Willow winced as she realized she'd said too much. Logan, unlike Dick, was too intelligent to let a slip go by.
"A slayer is what we call people who focus their life on killing or slaying vampires and demons. There's this British group called the Watcher's Council that trains slayers. Giles, our librarian trained us as he was a Watcher. He and Faith are now guarding the hellmouth in Ohio," she said. There—that answered it honestly without sharing Buffy's business.
"Note to self: do not go to Ohio," Logan said.
"Dude," Dick said, shaking his head. He still wasn't sure he believed everything the girls said, but he knew that magic was real. If magic was real, the rest probably was too. Logan had shown him the death rates in Sunnydale once, so he knew the girls weren't exaggerating. Plus, they found the story of the high school graduation.
"We are really glad you are here in Neptune, a city I now know isn't on a hellmouth like Veronica always suspected," Logan said with a grin.
"Speaking of Veronica," Willow said, glad to change the subject, "how's things going between the two of you?"
He shrugged as he shoveled some food into his mouth. "She came by the first day to the hospital, but I haven't seen or heard from her since then," he said.
"Really?" Willow asked. "She was really upset that you got hurt."
"Seeing someone get blown up is upsetting," Logan said. "I'm not sure it was specific to me."
"Not true," Willow insisted.
"She did apologize to me, though, right before I got blown up," Logan said. "For not talking to me before she left for the summer. She said Piz broke up with her because he thought we were soulmates."
"Seriously?" Willow asked. "That's an incredible thing for her to share."
"Dude, she's a destroyer of dudes—stay away," Dick said.
"She doesn't destroy anyone, Dick. Shut up," Logan said, glaring at him. "Duncan wanted to keep his kid, so she helped him. He would never say that she destroyed him. Sure, she broke my heart on three separate occasions, but she also made me a better man."
"Angel broke Buffy's heart, but she took him back. Then he left her and did it again," Willow said. "I know, though, she'd say that she didn't regret meeting him or loving him."
Dick refrained from commenting because he knew Logan would never agree. Meeting someone that was worth getting heartbroken over wasn't anything that he knew a thing about really. Nor did he really want to know about it!
*****The Next Day*****
Veronica was frustrated because she and her dad could not find anything linking Gorya Sorokin to the bomb placed under Logan's car. In fact, there was nothing Russian like in the bomb, so they were at a dead end.
Her dad reminded her that they could not do what Lamb had done when Lilly died. Focus only on one idea of who the guilty was. Instead, they needed to pursue all leads.
She was heading to take in Buffy's Tai Chi Saturday class or rather observe it and see if it was something she might like. She still had another lesson in the self-defense classes, but she didn't know if she wanted to stick with it her do the Tai Chi.
Buffy was talking to a tall black guy when she peered into the class. She saw Weevil, Xander, Oz, Logan, Dick, and a few of his frat brothers. Great. She had been avoiding seeing Logan since his hospitalization. The thought of his death and how she felt upset her on so many levels that she didn't know what to do. She was going to turn and leave when a voice behind her called her name.
"Veronica? Are you joining us today?" Parker asked.
"I was just checking it out," Veronica said. "I didn't know you were taking it."
"I am totally crushing on Buffy's friend Xander, and he is taking it," she said with a grin. "Plus, it's actually quite relaxing and beautiful. If you don't get distracted by the hot guys anyway."
Veronica grinned. "I do see a lot more guys than girls in it," she said.
"They are totally in love with Buffy—except for Dick and Xander," Parker said. "Come on."
Veronica saw that the choice was taken from her and followed Mac's roommate.
"I stay in the back, so I don't look stupid," Parker said.
"That's exactly where I want to be," she said, hoping no one would notice her.
Buffy smiled at the two girls, but it was time to start. The Tai Chi class was so popular that Gabe had convinced her to do one Sunday morning at eight. Of course, it gave her no days to sleep in. Not getting to slay regularly, however, made it hard for her to sleep late anyway.
"Logan, are you sure you are up for this?" she asked.
Everyone looked at Logan as his car bomb was well known. "Willow and Tara hooked me up with the good stuff. I feel great," he said, giving her a wink.
Buffy laughed. "Told you that salve was amazing," she said. "Let's get started."
Veronica was surprised that the movements were so slow and easy to follow. There was something almost hypnotic by the motions of everyone, and she found herself completely captivated.
When the hour was up, she was stunned. It seemed like it was just five minutes.
"What did you think? Amazing, right?" Parker said.
"It really was," Veronica admitted.
Logan's eyes met hers as he turned, and she smiled. However, he didn't acknowledge her smile. He turned to say something to Buffy, who asked how he felt.
"I feel good," he said. "A bit sore, but the class actually felt like it loosened me more than anything."
"That's good. Take it easy the rest of the day, though," Buffy advised. She saw Veronica looking their way. "I think Veronica wants to talk to you."
Logan wasn't sure that he wanted to talk to her, especially since she had not checked on him all week.
He walked by her without saying a word and headed to the door. Although he managed to get through the door, she called out to him before he could escape entirely.
"Logan!" she said. Veronica had been taken aback by his dismissal of her, and she knew that she had inadvertently hurt him by not seeing him again at the hospital or calling him.
Logan paused but didn't turn until she reached for his hand.
"Please, Logan," Veronica said.
Logan turned and faced her, pulling away from her touch.
"Logan, I'm sorry," she said.
"For what? That I got blown up right in front of you? That you didn't care enough about my welfare to see how I was all week?" he asked coldly.
"I am sorry that you got hurt, and I am sorry that I didn't call or come by," she said.
"Why didn't you?" he asked. "Even Weevil came once with Buffy to see me. Weevil."
"Can we go outside?" Veronica asked, wanting to speak without so many spectators.
Logan shrugged and walked with her in silence to the exit. Then he led her to the side of the building. "So talk," he said.
Veronica looked at him a long moment, her eyes filling with tears. "Logan, I love you. Seeing you nearly die right in front of me scared me like nothing has since the night I thought my dad was dead," she said. "I know I keep screwing things up. I can't seem to let myself trust you the way you deserve because you just bring out so many things inside of me. Seeing you hurt made me realize how fleeting life is, and I am so sorry that I keep hurting you. I want to try and work things out."
Logan was speechless as she stopped talking, waiting for his reply. Never had she actually told him that she loved him. The surprise of her confession discombobulated him and left him very confused.
At the same time, he wanted to pull her into his arms and never let her go.
What should he do? Did he want to go through his life without if there was chance for them?
"Okay," he said.
"Okay?" she repeated, her eyes hopeful.
"I will meet you tonight at seven at Luigi's for dinner," he said. They had to start somewhere.
"Really?" she asked, wiping her eyes and smiling.
He nodded. "We will spend some time together and see what happens," he said. "I'm not sure love is enough, especially when you don't trust me."
Veronica opened her mouth to argue but then stopped. "Thanks," she said. She didn't want to hurt his back, but she wanted to hug him. Reaching out, she put her hand on his chest. When he didn't push her away, she leaned against him, her hands moving up to go around his neck.
Logan stopped resisting her and put his hands around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Then he wrapped her in his arms and held her. For the first time in a long time, he felt joy again.
*****That Afternoon*****
Buffy made it home after her brunch shift at the hotel restaurant. It was still hard to believe that she could make two to three hundred dollars in a four-hour shift.
When she walked into her house, she was surprised to see Keith there. Her mom seemed upset, and she wondered if they were fighting. They were on the couch, sitting close.
"What's wrong?" she asked, giving Keith a pointed glare.
"Honey, how was work?" her mother asked, ignoring her question.
"It was fine. I can tell something is wrong, so tell me," Buffy said, sitting down in the chair.
"It's nothing," Joyce said.
"Joyce, she needs to know," Keith said, giving her mom a stern look.
"Know what?" Buffy said.
"The other day, I went to the doctor Keith insisted I go see about the headaches, remember?"
"I remember," Buffy said. "Did they find something wrong?"
"Sort of," Joyce said. "I got some results yesterday afternoon."
"Honey," Keith admonished.
"They sent me to get a CAT scan," she said. "It was bad news, Buffy. It revealed a shadow, so they ordered an MRI to get a better look."
"Did they find something? What does a shadow mean?" Buffy said, starting to feel scared.
"I have a very tiny brain tumor," Joyce said.
The words resonated in Buffy's head, and she tried to make sense of it.
Her mother had a brain tumor.
*****Chapter End*****
