Title: Any Day Now
Author:
Rating: PG-13 to R
Summary: It's the sequel to Serendipity's spectaular story "When Stars Collide". We kind of went bonkers and changed the plot (i.e., swerved in a completely different direction so it's hardly recognizable but the origins are still important), so cave spectator! (Some nifty Latin for those of y'all that aren't geeks.) Anyway, have fun. Read. And the story is named after the song "Any Day Now" by Bif Naked.
Part I
"
"Yeah," Willow sighed. "I think, that after two weeks of recuperation', that I will be able to survive today."
"Good!" cried Xander. "We've missed you loads! And loads of loads!"
"Whoa, Xand, calm down," said Willow. "I'm fine," she insisted as Xander tried to take her backpack from her.
"C'mon, Wills, I'll walk you to class," said Xander enthusiastically, and he bounded off down the crowded hallway with Willow in tow.
That was how Willow spent the day: with Xander as her bodyguard. She couldn't shake him off. He seemed to think that if she bent over, she'd break into a billion pieces. That was how the others were with her too: Giles, Cordy and Amy were like that too. Only Buffy was relatively normal, but there was a strain as she spoke to Willow, because of what had happened with Angel.
Willow felt a little sorry that Angel had fallen in love with her—Buffy was so hurt, and after all, she had loved him first—but after Willow had given Angel back his soul, she'd gone head-over-heels for him, and he had proven to her that he felt the same.
Willow smiled a bit wistfully as she thought about their latest "dancing lesson"—Willow wanted to learn to dance, but the classes that Angel tought really didn't consist of much dancing. Just running around the house and laughing and joking, darting through beams of sunlight.
Yes, that was definitely the best part—though still a Vampire, Angel could go out into the sun, thanks to a spell Willow had cast. He had visited her every day during the two weeks she'd been home, and it was wonderful to sit out on her balcony in the sun, cradled in Angel's arms.
Willow didn't know if Buffy knew that Willow and Angel were technically going out'—they hadn't been to a dance together as officially boyfriend and girlfriend or anything, and Willow never brought up the fact that Angel saw her every day to spare Buffy the pain.
Willow glanced up at the clock. Five, four, three, two, one, she counted in her mind as the seconds ticked past, and then the bell rang.
Willow grabbed her bag before Xander, Cordelia or Amy could pick it up for her and thanked them all.
"Listen, guys, thank you sooo much for all the . . . help you're giving me, but really, I'm not gonna break," she said gently. "I told my parents I'd come home right away, and I want to be able to carry my own stuff."
She sighed as Cordelia's lip began to stick out in a pout and Amy crossed her arms and Xander got that hurt, puppy-dog look in his eyes.
"Fine, fine . . . walk home with me if you must," she consoled them, and they all stopped their little pouting phases.
"Oooh!" said Cordelia, "We can take my car!" Willow sighed and resigned herself to being treated like a baby.
After collecting her things from her locker (or after Xander collected them), the foursome walked down the steps of the school and made towards the curb, where Cordy's car was parked. Sighing again, Willow glanced around the crowded grounds and saw a tall, black-clad figure coming towards them.
Willow's heart leaped and she started walking towards the figure. Xander stopped, confused, and said, "wait, Wills, Cordy's car is this wa--"
He stopped still, shocked, as Angel came into clear view and walked quickly towards them. "Willow, how can he be out here in the sunlight . . .?" he began to ask, but he saw the flush in Willow's face and the frivolous grin, and shut up for the moment as Willow dropped her bags and ran towards Angel, jumping into his arms.
"Hi!" she said brightly to Angel as he wrapped his arms around her. "Come to take me home from school?"
"As a matter of fact, yes," whispered Angel in her ear. She giggled a little and pulled away, still holding his hands.
"Excuse me?" interrupted Xander rudely. "May I ask what is going on?"
"How do you mean?" asked Angel, truly confused for a second, but then he saw Xander's pointed look at him and smiled. It's my birthday present," he said.
"Pardon?" said Xander.
"My birthday present was from Willow. It was a spell to let me go out during the day. See? Happy. No poof, no pile of ashes."
"And we're all soooo happy about this," muttered Xander. "C'mon, Wills, Cordy's in the car already and hot seats are not a happy thing."
"Actually, Xand, I was thinking--"
"Angel?" said a disbelieving voice from behind them.
"Oh, hi Buffy," said Angel uncomfortably.
"What are you doing outside during the day?" cried Buffy.
"I'm immune," grinned Angel.
"What?" said Buffy.
I'm immune to sunlight," said Angel happily.
"How did this come about?" asked Buffy.
"I made him immune," piped up Willow.
"When?" asked Buffy.
"The night I . . . died . . ." said Willow, "Before I was attacked by Spike's guys, I went to the library and cast the spell for Angel. I was attacked on my way home."
"Whoa," said Xander. "Are you telling me you got yourself nearly – well, actually—killed for this goonie?" He gestured wildly at Angel.
"I wasn't killed by the spell, Xand," Willow pointed out.
"So . . . are you guys gonna go home?" asked Buffy timidly.
"Angel and Xander were both planning on driving me home," giggled Willow. She quenched her laughter at the hurt look in Buffy's eyes as the blonde really registered Willow's relaxed position against Angel's chest and the casual way Angel slung his arm around the hacker's shoulders.
Buffy just bit her bottom lip and nodded. "I guess I'll . . . see you tomorrow," she said, and ran back towards the school in the direction of the library.
"What is going on?" demanded Cordelia from behind Xander. "The car seats are really hot, and the sooner we get going, the better." She did a double take. "Oh, hi, Angel."
"What's this?" cried Xander. "No surprise? No shock? No oh-my-goodness?"
"I've already seen Angel in the sunlight," pointed out Cordelia. "Remember when he brought Willow to the library? Half hour after dawn. Came back in the afternoon? Sat in front of the open windows? He-lloooooooooo."
Xander grumbled something about women being too damn observant for anyone's good. Cordelia slapped him on the shoulder and he drew her around for a kiss.
It was a very long kiss. Angel and Willow just looked at each other with raised eyebrows until it ended, and then—"Omigosh! We're in public! In public! Xander, I hate you in public! You know that!" cried Cordy—but she didn't back out of his arms.
"Well, if it's all ok with everyone, I'll be going now," began Willow. Xander and Cordy looked up guiltily and began to speak simultaneously:
"Sorry--"
"Of course we'll go now--"
"No," said Willow firmly. "You two can go somewhere shady in Cordy's car and have smootchies like you were planning." They immediately looked guilty. "And Angel will drive me home—right, Angel?"
He took his arm from around her shoulders and picked up her bag. "Sure, Wills."
Oblivious to Xander and Cordelia's protests, Angel and Willow walked across the ground to Angel's car and got in, Angel chivalrously holding the passenger door open for Willow before getting in himself.
"Ah, love," murmured Cordy, watching the car drive away.
"Indeed," murmured Xander in response. Then he realized Cordelia was talking about Angel and Willow, and he freaked. "Love? What are you talking about?" "Xander!" exclaimed Cordelia. "We're still in public!" She dragged him over to her car. "Get in!" she said forcefully. Xander took a look at her face and meekly scrambled inside.
* * *
"
"Park it in the garage and come on in," said Willow. Angel smiled crookedly at her and drove up the drive.
At the door to her house, Angel paused. "What is it, Angel?"
"Aren't you going to invite me in?"
"I have already, silly," giggled Willow.
"I know," said Angel. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I just like to be reminded of it." Willow giggled again and turned to face him. Suddenly their faces were close . . . very close. Willow suddenly couldn't breathe, and she inhaled quickly.
"Willow? Is that you?" It was Willow's mom.
"Yeah, mom, it's me! Angel too," she added, glancing at the slightly hurt expression on Angel's face as he stepped into her kitchen.
"Cookies on the dining room table!" called her mother.
Willow grunted recognition and ran upstairs with Angel in tow. "No cookies?" asked Angel slyly.
"
* * *
He thought that every time he looked at her that he fell in love all over again. The way her hair fell over her eyes, the way she sheepishly tucked it behind her ears and then how it fell forwards again; the way her eyes lit up whenever he saw her; the way she closed her eyes and smiled shyly whenever she knew he was going to kiss her; the way, when he had his arms around her, that she'd turn once in a while and smile up at him. There was so much more he could name, but she'd made the greater parts of his thoughts romantic. He opened the car door for her and then shut it again once she got out. She opened the door to her house. Suddenly Angel remembered the time she'd invited him in after she'd restored his soul, and on impulse he stood a little bit outside the door after she'd gone in.
"Is something wrong, Angel?" He smiled and fell in love again.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" He adored the look of love but confusion on her pretty face.
"I have already, silly," she said, smiling and giggling, leaning on the doorframe.
"I know," said Angel softly, remembering her first show of real trust. "I just like to be reminded of it." He leaned closer, and she did at the same instant. We're going to kiss, thought Angel, and he saw Willow close her eyes the way she always did when she thought they would kiss. Closer . . . closer . . .
"Yeah, mom, it's me!" Angel forced his face into a sad puppy look when she didn't mention his name. She glanced at him and grinned. "Angel, too!"
"Cookies on the dining room table!" called her mother, and Angel heard her open and close the front door and start her car. Willow tugged at Angel's hand and they went upstairs.
"No cookies?" asked Angel mournfully, struggling to keep a silly grin off his face.
Willow, on the stair above him, bet down and touched his cheek. There are other kinds of sweets, Angel," she said hauntingly. Angel was amazed at himself and the way he wanted to drown in her limpid green eyes. Falling in love again, eh, Angel? He asked himself. He grinned again and opened her bedroom door.