At the Bronze, the Dingoes were finishing up their set as Willow and Xander looked on. Buffy was busy with yet another patrol. From their table, Xander could see Cordy nearby, flirting with one of the football players. Their gazes locked for a second, and both turned away angrily. He then turned back to Willow. She looked really beautiful tonight in a green v-neck blouse and dark, mid-thigh length skirt that flattered her figure, accentuating her legs perfectly. Her face bore the faintest traces of makeup, such that it looked as if she wasn't wearing makeup. Xander found himself leaning toward her, his hand reaching and grabbing her hand.
It took a moment for her to notice him trying to kiss her, and she cried, "Xander! You're fluking!"
He leaned back in surprise, "Oh, right. Sorry. Bad habits." He then looked down at his fingers, and saw they were now entwined with Willow's. Tightly. "Uh, Will?" She turned, and at his gesturing, noticed where her hand was.
"Oh!" She pulled her hand away, though Xander could sense some reluctance at breaking contact. "I'm sorry." Her face held a pained expression, wishing for things to be different. She always loved Xander, but she was with Oz, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. Once, when the fluking was happening, was bad enough. Though in her heart, she knew it wasn't fluking. When she was with Xander, everything just seemed right. She wondered if he felt the same. But, she had Oz, and she didn't want to hurt him. Though, his band had been giving him flak for missing practice. They knew about her, but they didn't know about his hairy time of the month. So, they blamed her for making him miss practice. Sometimes, she had a feeling that he would have to choose between the band and her, and then she would lose. She felt confused and the confusion didn't leave when they left later for home.
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The three of them were in the alley behind the club, and the instruments had just been packed away in the van. As they got ready to leave, a growl could be heard. Xander turned and saw a vampire coming for him.
"Vengeance for the Master!" it shrieked, and Xander caught a silvery flash in its hand. He crouched, and went to punch the undead creature, but as his uppercut landed, he gasped as he felt the sharp blade bite into his chest. He sank to his knees, and from a distance he could hear Willow screaming his name. An echoing scream overlapped it, a primal cry of pain that didn't sound human. Xander was surprised to realize it was emerging from his own throat. He felt as though he was falling, falling forever into an abyss. But as he fell, he felt knives cutting into him, cutting into his soul, ripping him in two. He screamed again, and the pain followed him into the darkness.
Willow screamed as the vampire drove the odd dagger into Xander. Something inside her snapped, and she suddenly narrowed her eyes as a long stick of wood flew out of a nearby trashcan, and slammed through the vampire's heart. It barely had a chance to realize what had happened before it disappeared in a cloud of dust. Oz, who was coming after the vampire, stopped at this sight, and stared at her in shock. She then sank to her knees in despair and exhaustion, and wept openly at the sight of the wound.
Oz knelt down by him as well, and checked his pulse. It was weak, but still present. He went to check the wound, and started. The knife had disappeared, and the wound had stopped bleeding. However, the wound had now taken the appearance of a dark maw against Xander's pale skin. He reached over, and touched Willow once. She gazed at him for a moment, and he was scared. Her eyes looked so empty. He got up, and went to call for an ambulance, still staring at her dead eyes.
When Oz left, Willow felt like she was dead. The blade had killed Xander, but it may as well pierced her heart as well. The fact that she had avenged him gave no comfort. She was numb, except inside her soul was still screaming. She could still hear it as she soon after fell into unconsciousness.
Oz came back and saw her lying by him. "Willow!" he cried and ran over to her. He knelt by her, and gently rolled her onto her back. She was still breathing, but it was shallow, and her skin was clammy. She was going into shock. He took off his jacket, and wrapped her in it, whispering, "Hang on, baby, hang on." He was still whispering when he heard the sirens shriek into the alley.
It took a moment for her to notice him trying to kiss her, and she cried, "Xander! You're fluking!"
He leaned back in surprise, "Oh, right. Sorry. Bad habits." He then looked down at his fingers, and saw they were now entwined with Willow's. Tightly. "Uh, Will?" She turned, and at his gesturing, noticed where her hand was.
"Oh!" She pulled her hand away, though Xander could sense some reluctance at breaking contact. "I'm sorry." Her face held a pained expression, wishing for things to be different. She always loved Xander, but she was with Oz, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. Once, when the fluking was happening, was bad enough. Though in her heart, she knew it wasn't fluking. When she was with Xander, everything just seemed right. She wondered if he felt the same. But, she had Oz, and she didn't want to hurt him. Though, his band had been giving him flak for missing practice. They knew about her, but they didn't know about his hairy time of the month. So, they blamed her for making him miss practice. Sometimes, she had a feeling that he would have to choose between the band and her, and then she would lose. She felt confused and the confusion didn't leave when they left later for home.
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The three of them were in the alley behind the club, and the instruments had just been packed away in the van. As they got ready to leave, a growl could be heard. Xander turned and saw a vampire coming for him.
"Vengeance for the Master!" it shrieked, and Xander caught a silvery flash in its hand. He crouched, and went to punch the undead creature, but as his uppercut landed, he gasped as he felt the sharp blade bite into his chest. He sank to his knees, and from a distance he could hear Willow screaming his name. An echoing scream overlapped it, a primal cry of pain that didn't sound human. Xander was surprised to realize it was emerging from his own throat. He felt as though he was falling, falling forever into an abyss. But as he fell, he felt knives cutting into him, cutting into his soul, ripping him in two. He screamed again, and the pain followed him into the darkness.
Willow screamed as the vampire drove the odd dagger into Xander. Something inside her snapped, and she suddenly narrowed her eyes as a long stick of wood flew out of a nearby trashcan, and slammed through the vampire's heart. It barely had a chance to realize what had happened before it disappeared in a cloud of dust. Oz, who was coming after the vampire, stopped at this sight, and stared at her in shock. She then sank to her knees in despair and exhaustion, and wept openly at the sight of the wound.
Oz knelt down by him as well, and checked his pulse. It was weak, but still present. He went to check the wound, and started. The knife had disappeared, and the wound had stopped bleeding. However, the wound had now taken the appearance of a dark maw against Xander's pale skin. He reached over, and touched Willow once. She gazed at him for a moment, and he was scared. Her eyes looked so empty. He got up, and went to call for an ambulance, still staring at her dead eyes.
When Oz left, Willow felt like she was dead. The blade had killed Xander, but it may as well pierced her heart as well. The fact that she had avenged him gave no comfort. She was numb, except inside her soul was still screaming. She could still hear it as she soon after fell into unconsciousness.
Oz came back and saw her lying by him. "Willow!" he cried and ran over to her. He knelt by her, and gently rolled her onto her back. She was still breathing, but it was shallow, and her skin was clammy. She was going into shock. He took off his jacket, and wrapped her in it, whispering, "Hang on, baby, hang on." He was still whispering when he heard the sirens shriek into the alley.
