AUTHOR: Goddess Isa
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com
SUMMARY: In the spring of the year 2000, things change for Willow and Xander
SPOILER: Graduation Day
DISTRIBUTION: Sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =)
FEEDBACK: Please, I'd hate to have to Slay for it. =P
RATING: TV-14
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, Joss Whedon does. I wish I did, because my show wouldn't be on the WB if I did own them and there wouldn't be a soul on Earth who could push me around! SO THERE!
Xander just stared at her. Willow. His Willow. A semester in France certainly had changed her. She'd come back older, wiser, definitely more sophisticated. And there was more to it than the second hole in her ear and the rhinestones she always wore in her hair.
She had changed.
Life without me changed her, he thought. She's different now. We're different.
She noticed him staring at her. "What?"
"Nothing."
"It doesn't look like nothing."
"It's nothing." he grabbed the remote and was going to change the channel but she took it back. "Aw, come on Will, you've seen Bailey and Sarah break up a thousand times."
"This is them getting back together,"
"Whatever." he rolled his eyes and looked away.
"What is wrong with you?" she demanded.
"What would happen if we kissed?" he asked her suddenly.
"I'd slap you."
"Just checking," he folded his arms and stared at the ceiling.
"Xander?"
He turned to her, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Yes?"
"Do you want to kiss me?"
"No. No, not at all."
She looked a bit hurt and folded her arms in the same fashion he had. "Good."
"Good?"
"That's what I said."
He refused to make eye contact. "I'm saying it again."
"You are so annoying."
"Where do you think I learned it from?"
"Yeah, right."
"I did!"
"Xander Harris, the day I met you, you pulled my hair and threw a rock at my Big Wheel."
"Your point?"
"You have ALWAYS been annoying. You very well may be the King of Annoying."
"Well, it's a tough job..."
"Do you want to kiss me?" she blurted out.
"Of course not!"
"You make it sound like a crime."
"You started it."
"Well, it would be--"
"If kissing me would be so awful, and you weren't sitting here just fantasizing about it, what are you doing at my house, watching horrible television reruns with me?"
Willow remained silent and tried to focus on Julia and Griffin's ridiculous bickering. She tried pretending he wasn't there, but it was hard considering it was his house and all. He was sitting just eight inches away from her and she could almost feel it every time he took a breath.
"So, what, you like hate me now?" he asked.
"I could never hate you." she said sincerely.
"I'm confused."
"That's surprising," she said dryly.
"Can we be serious?"
"All right," she turned the TV off. "Let's be serious."
"Oz is gone."
"There's a big fat shocker. It's been several months."
"Was he the reason you went to France? Did you go to get away from the fact that he wouldn't be here for you to pretend with anymore?"
"What does that mean?" Willow's eyes were angry and her voice was cold.
"You left to escape what you knew was inevitable without him and Cordelia around."
Willow started to sob.
"I understand that you needed time or whatever, but you've been home awhile now and isn't time we give our relationship a real try?"
Her sobs grew louder.
"Not exactly the response I was goin' for."
She sniffled. "Xander, it's not so....I don't know what else to....I love you."
He shook his head. "Sorry, my ears must be going on me. All the loud music in the library I guess, I thought you said you love me."
"I did." she touched his cheek. "I do."
Xander stared at her with his mouth wide open.
"This is usually the part where you say 'I love you too' and then we kiss."
"Oh, yeah. That comes with the breathing, and I'm not there yet."
She laughed. "It won't be easy you know."
Willow smiled as the colour returned to her beloved's face. "Nothing is every easy on the Hellmouth." he told her. "We'll be fine."
"I hope so." she kissed his hand. "I can't lose you again."
"You'll never lose me." he leaned forward and kissed her. It was a kiss filled with passion and fireworks. "Stay the night," he whispered into her ear.
"I don't know...." Xander kissed her again and then pulled away, looking to her for an answer.
"Yeah, okay." She never could say no to his deep brown eyes.